Human Error
by Donnamour1969
Summary: 8th fic in my post-"Sonata" series. Beth finds what she hopes is a good use for her leftover Black Crystal, and Mick struggles with whether to use Coraline's gift. No copyright infringement intended.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: No, hell did not freeze over, and yes it's me here writing another story for "Moonlight." I took a brief foray into writing fanfic for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", but I found it tough-going and unsatisfying. I guess the three stories I wrote turned out okay, but I'm much more at home in the "Moonlight" universe. (If you're interested in those stories, click on my name and start with "Habeas Corpus") So, after happening upon an episode of "Moonlight" on Syfy, I was inspired again. If you are new to my "Moonlight" fics, you might want to start with the first one, "Behind Closed Doors," so this one will make sense to you. Enjoy!

MICK

"I got a package from Coraline today," I said conversationally to Josef, as he sat in the chair opposite my couch.

"Oh? Did she send you your balls back?"

Ouch. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Mick, you had the chance to kill that bitch back in Paris. Now she's sending you presents and you're acting like it's Christmas morning. I'm thinking you need to man up and put an end to things once and for all, or she's never going to let you go." He took another drink of my best Scotch.

He was right. I'd let Coraline live, even after she'd kidnapped Beth for the second time in her life, all for the possibility that she might give me some of the cure for vampirism. At the time, I'd felt really guilty about that, and Josef had felt really annoyed, though he'd honored my wishes and didn't kill her himself.

"Okay, I'll give you that point, but my patience paid off, Josef."

I reached into the wooden cigar box on my coffee table. Inside, was a smaller box that would slide open to reveal a red, gelatinous compound. Coraline's family had been using it for centuries to allow them to become human for long periods of time. She'd once stolen some from her brother Lance, but, thanks to my friend Carrie, Lance was not around to protest anymore. And if Coraline was to be believed, this was the last of it, and she'd likely sent it to me without her remaining brothers' permission. I pushed the small box within Josef's reach.

"I give you…the cure."

Josef stared at it a moment dispassionately. He'd told me on many occasions that he loved being a vampire and wouldn't ever want to go back to what he referred to as "the mortal coil." Okay, he and Shakespeare, but the point was, in the past he'd claimed not to be interested.

"And you're showing me this why, Mick? You think I'll be excited to see the box that contains your death wish? Look, I know this is what you've wanted your whole second life, but I watched from a distance as all my human friends died centuries ago. So forgive me if I don't relish the idea that you're about to commit suicide and expect me to be happy for you."

He downed the last of his drink, setting it down hard on the table. I watched in shock at his outburst as he walked over to look out the window to the lights of LA. I looked at the box that contained my life, my future. He only saw my impending death.

"I don't know if it works that way, Josef," I said softly. "Look at Coraline's family. They've taken it on and off over the years and they managed to live in both worlds quite comfortably." Josef finally turned back to me, having regained his cool composure.

"But you're not going to use it that way, are you? You'll take it and keep taking it so you can convince yourself and Beth that you are completely human. Then one day you'll get hit by a bus or get cancer, or both, and _poof _–no more Mick St. John. And there I'll be again, watching another mortal buddy die needlessly when the key to his immortality had been in his hands all along. It's senseless, Mick."

A crazy thought entered my mind.

"_You_ could try it," I prompted, watching with some amusement as his eyes went wide. "See what you've been missing all these years. Maybe you'd understand why—"

"There's no fuckin' way, Mick. I have no desire to go down that path ever again. As a matter of fact, that path is so overgrown, it doesn't even exist for me anymore. Someone paved over it and built expensive hotels on top. No, my friend, this hang-up is yours and yours alone. Leave me the hell out of it."

An uncomfortable silence filled my apartment. To say Josef and I were best friends was an understatement. We literally shared a blood bond, and I knew how much he cared about me, but seldom did he ever put it into words. I guess he'd felt he hadn't needed to till now. Having only been a vampire since the 1950's, the feeling of loneliness hadn't had time to take hold like it had with four-hundred-year-old Josef. I'd watched my own family and friends die, had thought at one time my wife had died. Immortality had a steep price, one that I was reluctant to pay….now that I had Beth.

"I'm sorry, Josef. I know this is a touchy subject for you. And for the record, I've no idea what I'm going to do with this cure. It's a big decision. A tempting one. I'll be thinking about it for awhile."

Josef, no fan of heavy conversations, was pleased to see I wasn't mad at his uncharacteristic interference in my life choices. His face stretched into his usual mocking grin, but beneath it I detected a hint of relief that my mortality wasn't yet a foregone conclusion.

"Don't mind me, Mick. Didn't mean to rain on your parade. So tell me, what does the old ball and chain think of this? I'd think she'd be picking out baby names by now." Of course, he meant Beth. Beth…well, I hadn't quite gotten around to telling Beth. He caught my expression and read me correctly, as usual.

"I guess that's why. I know what she'd want me to do, especially because I've talked it up so long. I don't want her to get her hopes up before I've made my decision. I do know staying with her as a vampire isn't fair to her, or won't be twenty or thirty years from now, when everyone starts mistaking me for her son. And then there's the other thing."

"What other thing?" Josef asked, retaking his seat and refilling his glass.

"Remember why you had to re-turn me? Well, I can't deny there are many benefits to being a vampire, namely the ability to protect Beth. We both have jobs that can be dangerous. If she got hurt because I couldn't kick someone's ass…" I couldn't even finish the thought, it was too painful to contemplate.

"Mick, to play devil's advocate here—my favorite role, by the way—some vampire hunter could behead you tomorrow. We may be immortal, but we're sure as hell not unkillable. We just have better odds than people of the human persuasion. And you know how I like to have the odds on my side."

I sighed deeply in frustration. I came to Josef with this precisely because he was good at showing me all sides of a situation, and he knew me better than I did myself sometimes. It was scary. And I was still undecided.

"Maybe you should go ahead and tell Beth. You picked a sensible, sane one this time, but she may not be as predictable as you think." I nodded thoughtfully. And after all, Beth and I had agreed to no more secrets…

* * *

BETH

Simone and I walked out of the mall, hands full of our recent purchases. It was a shock to come out into the darkness, having gone in when it was light. We laughed at how involved we'd gotten in our shopping expedition. I popped the trunk with my remote control, and we stowed our bags.

"I'm meeting Josef later," said Simone, sliding into the passenger side of my car. "I hope traffic isn't too bad so I have time to put on that new little red number I bought. He loves me in red."

I chuckled. "I imagine that's the favorite color of most vampires."

As I turned on to the busy freeway, I thought of the scrap of red, lacy underwear I'd bought for my own vampire's benefit. I blushed nearly the same color just thinking about Mick's likely reaction.

"Any plans with Mick this weekend?"

"Nothing definite," I said, weaving in and out of traffic. Traffic was surprisingly light, so she'd probably get her wish and have time to change. "I guess we're like an old married couple now. It's understood we'll be doing something together, but plans tend to be last minute. That probably sounds very boring to you. I bet Josef is always surprising you."

I caught her wistful smile out of the corner of my eye. "Yes, never a dull moment with Josef. Maybe that's the problem though. He's not very domesticated, my loveable vamp. Just once, I'd like to hang out with him on a lazy Sunday morning, doing the newspaper crossword together. Fighting over the sports pages—you know what I mean. Human things. What's so frustrating is he won't allow me to live completely in his world, yet he won't put one toe in mine."

I took the exit that would take us to my condo, where Simone had left her car. Simone desperately wanted Josef to turn her, but she'd backed off of asking lately, trying to be content with things as they were. It was obvious to me, however, that Simone was a woman who wouldn't settle for long for less than what she wanted. I feared Mick and I would be nursing the couple's broken hearts soon.

I pulled in to a space in front of my building, parking behind her red Porche. She started to open her door, but my hand on her arm stopped her. "You know, there is a way for you to test-drive what it's like to be a vampire, without all the bloodsucking and immortality, that is. You could see if that's really what you want. Maybe you'll find you don't like it, then you could let it go and be truly happy with him."

Simone was intrigued, to say the least. "What are you talking about, Beth? I didn't think you could be just a little like a vampire. Sorta like being 'kinda pregnant.' Either you are, or you're aren't. "

I laughed. "Have you ever heard of Black Crystal?" I asked her. The instant the idea had occurred to me, I knew Mick and Josef would be furious with me for even suggesting it to her. But, God help me, sometimes I just couldn't stop myself.

"No. What's that? Some kind of drug? I didn't think you were into that stuff, Beth."

"No, Simone. It's not a drug—exactly. It's dried vampire blood. It makes humans temporarily feel the same things vampires do—the heightened senses, the feelings of confidence and power. It's amazing. One dose, and you'll see if it's for you."

She looked at me in the dim light of the streetlight shining into the car. "You've tried it?"

"Yeah," I said remembering with lingering embarrassment how I'd taken the Black Crystal and come on to Mick before we were ever officially together. How I'd begged him to turn me into a vampire. Honorable Mick could have taken advantage of me, could have drained me dry in that state, but instead he'd spent the night sobering me up.

"Well, what was it like?"

I hesitated. In truth, it had been a very sensual experience, in every sense of the word. I could see how many humans had become addicted.

"I won't lie to you, Simone. I thought it was great. But afterward, it reinforced to me that that isn't what I want. It was too overwhelming. Too scary. I suppose vampires learn to live with it, and some even relish it, like Josef. But Mick hates it. I know he'd give anything to stop being one."

Simone looked away from me and out the front windshield, lost in thought. "You know, if I tried this, Beth, and went to see Josef, he might reconsider turning me. He might like 'vampire Simone' and change his mind." Her face became animated with her excitement. Oops.

"That wasn't exactly what the purpose of the experiment would be, Simone. It would be to see what _you_ want, not what Josef wants. Maybe this was a bad idea—"

"What? Beth, please. You know what this means to me, how much I want to be with Josef forever. I would think you'd understand, you of all people."

I sighed. "I do understand. But Mick is hoping there's a way for him to become human again, so we could have a more normal life together. "

"But Josef wouldn't want it that way either," Simone said. "You said yourself how much Josef loves being a vampire. He's not going to become human, even for me." She took my hand in hers, imploring me with her eyes. "Please, Beth. Let me see for myself, like you said. You know where to get some of this Black Crystal, don't you?"

Yes, I knew. It was at this very moment in the top drawer of my dresser, in the back beneath my "special occasion" underwear. I looked at my friend, weighing in my mind the benefits over the costs. The main benefit could be that Simone would be happier knowing what she really wanted. The cost would be that Josef and Mick just might kill me. Together. At the same time. It would take the police days to recover all the pieces. I took a deep breath and jumped anyway.

"I have some in my bedroom," I said. Simone squealed uncharacteristically, hugging my neck in glee. I patted her back with much less enthusiasm.


	2. Chapter 2

BETH

I watched Simone leave, small, round vial of Black Crystal in hand. I warned her to try very little, that women had died from silver poisoning after using it. She just smiled and thanked me again, anxious to finally get a taste of what she could have with Josef. I was seriously second-guessing my suggestion.

I had just shut the door when there came a knock.

"Did you forget something?" I asked, not bothering to check the peephole before opening the door again. It was Mick.

"Oh. Mick! Sorry, I thought you were Simone. She just left—did you see her outside?" From his annoyed expression, I knew I must have done something wrong.

"You didn't even ask who was at the door, Beth," said my overprotective vampire, brushing past me to come inside. "I could have been a crazed rapist or something."

"Or the Big, Bad Vampire," I countered, closing the door. I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his slim waist, my cheek pressed into his back. My hands slid beneath his shirt, caressing his stomach muscles. When I felt him tremble at my touch, I knew he'd already forgotten his annoyance. He turned in my arms and my lips were suddenly captured by his cool ones. It was my turn to tremble. His wet tongue tangled with mine and his hands came up to hold either side of my face. I loved it when he did that.

"Hello to you too," I sighed, my fingers still playing in the soft curls at his nape.

"Sorry for snapping at you," he said, his hands on my behind, pulling me closer. I could feel how much he wanted me, and I smiled knowingly.

"Well, she _had_ just left, Mick. Sometimes I take calculated risks. I might even cross the street tomorrow, or get behind the wheel of my car. I'm just crazy that way."

"Alright, alright. Anyone ever tell you what a smart mouth you have?" But he was smiling when he said it.

"The better to kiss you with, my dear," said I, doing just that.

Soon we were huffing and puffing on my couch, which he once said was his favorite piece of furniture in my apartment. Mine too, since we'd been on it the first time we made love. I guess he felt like recreating that moment, because it wasn't long before we were both naked and entwined there. As usual, my heart rate soared as his mouth teased my breasts, his hand between my legs, fingers working their magic as I softly panted his name.

My hands were busy too at the feast of gorgeous man before me. He was all lean muscle and supple skin, lightly furred in all the right places. My fingers loved to play with the hair on his chest, with the hard, smooth muscle between his thighs. It never failed to amaze and empower me that I could make this powerful creature tremble and gasp just with a touch. He was so gentle and worshipful of me, when I knew he could tear a man limb from limb with his bare hands. You can't imagine what a turn-on all that harnessed power could be. And when we joined at last it was like nothing I had ever known before. His fangs were suddenly at my neck, and he drank from me. I could feel the pull of his mouth all the way to my core, and I quickly shuttered in release. His answering moan filled my ears, hummed through my body as he climaxed within me.

When I could finally speak again, I lay halfway on top of him as he smoothed my ruffled hair. I had to laugh breathlessly.

"I told Simone we were so comfortable now that we were like an old married couple." I could feel the rumble of his soft laughter beneath my ear.

"Oh really? You know any old couples that can blow each other's minds with sex like we just had?"

I propped my chin on my hands so I could look into his eyes. "That's why I was laughing. I hope she didn't think I meant we were boring. Far from it. Just… content." Our gazes locked a moment, his suddenly serious.

"Are you _too_ content, Beth?

"Huh? Oh my God—no! I'm more than content. Maybe that's not the right word. Deliriously happy? So in love with you that you take my very breath when I look at you. When we're together-- and I don't just mean making love—you overwhelm me but leave me wanting more, wanting all of you, in every part of my body, my heart, my soul." I blushed and had to look down at how mushy I was sounding. Men didn't like women to talk that way. Did they?

Mick lifted my chin so I would meet his eyes again. "I couldn't have said it better myself," he said softly, and our lips met in a sweet kiss.

"So, did you just come for a booty call," I teased, "or was there something in particular you wanted to tell me?

He was quiet a moment as I laid my head back down on his chest, and he resumed the absent stroking of my hair.

"It can wait," he said at last. "I just want to bask awhile in all this contentment."

I grinned, and knew without looking that he was doing the same. "Bask away…" I said, before sleep overcame me.

MICK

I knew it was Josef banging on my freezer, because any other person or vamp would have known he only had about ten seconds to live once I woke up. My eyes opened to see my friend through the foggy glass, an inscrutable expression on his soon- to- be -pummeled face. I pushed up on the cover, pleased to have narrowly missed clocking him in the chin with it.

"This had better be good, Josef." I looked at the clock as I sat up. I groaned. I still had an hour before I had to get up—it was only one p.m. My client meeting wasn't until three. He tossed me my pants.

"I have a story to tell you, Mick," he began as I climbed out of my icy bed.

"Is this story about a vampire tearing apart another who woke him up? Because I thought of that one first." I went into the bathroom and shut the door. He continued talking while I peed. What were we—women?

"Anyway, last night, Simone and I had this date. You know, theatre and weekly liquid refreshment? So I drive to her house and she opens the door. I have never seen her look so sexy—act so hot for me."

In the bathroom, I was beginning to get bored as well as annoyed. I finished my business and reluctantly washed up, throwing cold water on my face to try to wake up. I looked longingly at the shower, sighed, and came out of the bathroom. All the while, Josef was talking. He followed me downstairs, continuing his narrative as I took my breakfast from the fridge.

"…I'm telling you, Mick, it was the best sex I've ever had. She did things to me—dear God—I mean, do I walk funny now?"

"Is there a point to this _Penthouse_ _Forum_ story? 'Cause I'm seriously not interested in your sex life, Josef." I took a gulp of blood right out of the bottle.

"Okay, okay. I'm getting to the best part, but let me just reiterate—I've been with the most talented courtesans who ever lived, the highest priced call girls, but last night, Simone—there are no words, my friend."

"You don't seem to be at a loss," I said softly. He ignored me and went on.

"So, the minor detail I haven't mentioned is that I thought at first I'd smelled another vamp on her. Needless to say, I was so caught up in the moment that I chose to put it out of my mind, until I went in for a bite right at the appropriate moment. And guess what? She tasted like she'd ingested the blood of another vamp, but she hadn't been turned, Mick. And then it hit me. Her wild behavior, her complete change of demeanor, the faint taste of silver—" He was suddenly very serious and looking me dead in the eye. "She was on Black Crystal, Mick."

My hand paused on the bottle I'd raised halfway to my mouth. I slowly set it down. He had my full attention now.

"When I asked her about it," he continued, "Simone showed me this." He held up the familiar metal vial just like the ones Beth and I had taken from Lola's club some months before.

"So tell, me, buddy, why is your girlfriend giving my girlfriend dried vampire blood laced with silver?" He slammed down the vial. "Is she out of her fuckin' mind?"

"Simone said Beth gave it to her?" My mind was working overtime for a good excuse as to why Beth would have done something so reckless, to a woman she claimed had become one of her best friends.

"That's right." His voice was deadly calm now.

"I don't know what to tell you Josef. Believe me, I'm just as shocked as you are. Is Simone okay now?"

"Yeah, now that she's slept it off."

I tried to reassure him, but I knew the memory of those models who died from silver poisoning was foremost in his mind. "Look, Beth tried it one time, and aside from a case of major embarrassment, she's had no ill effects." I watched Josef's face, realizing I hadn't seen him this mad since he'd thought Simone was kidnapped by a gangster.

"Before you decide to kill Beth—and believe me, the line forms here—did Simone say why she took it?"

Josef sighed and poured himself a glass from my abandoned bottle of O neg. He must be upset, because he rarely drank bottled blood without thinning it down with alcohol; normally, he preferred his blood straight from the tap.

"She said she wanted to know how it felt to be a vampire. She thought this might answer some questions for her and settle things in her mind, see if this is really what she wanted."

"And the verdict," I asked cautiously.

"The woman is back to begging me to turn her again. She'd let it go awhile, but thanks to Beth's…_meddling…"_ I saw him snap his jaw together, like he was trying to avoid saying something he shouldn't.

"Don't be too hard on Beth," I said, trying to convince myself as well. At that moment, I could gladly drain her dry. "I mean, you got, and I quote: 'the best sex I've ever had.' Seems to me you should be thanking her."

Josef had to grin at that. "Okay, that part was good. More than good. What she did with her tongue—"

"Say no more, Josef I mean it. Say. No. More. I know our women tend to find trouble together. This time, it went a little beyond the cuteness factor. I'll talk to Beth about it, okay? Go home and get some sleep before you do something crazier than waking up a vamp an hour before his alarm was set to go off." I looked at him meaningfully, but he didn't seem to notice or care.

"You're right," he sighed, running hands through his spiky, gelled hair. I marveled how it stayed exactly the same. "It was a long night, and I feel like death warmed over." He smiled tiredly at his little joke. "I'll call you later." He downed the last of his glass with a grimacing salute, and left me alone in my apartment.

I walked into the living room, shaking my head in disbelief at what those two girls had gotten themselves into this time. When were they going to learn that no human could dabble safely in the world of vampires? My eyes strayed to the cure, secure in its little box where I'd left it on the coffee table the night before. I was such a hypocrite.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks so much for the great welcome back and the encouraging feedback. I feel like I've come home again with these characters. I feel comfortable in their world. This chapter is a little on the angsty side, but don't worry, I'll try to get more Josef humor next chapter. I love writing for him! Please let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 3**

**MICK**

**I waited for Beth outside the DA's office. It was after six, and I wondered if I should go on in to her office. I didn't want to run the risk of running into her boss. Ben Talbot knew what I was, and there was always awkwardness in that. Plus the fact that he lusted after my girlfriend. **

**I hadn't called Beth to let her know I was waiting. I loved surprising her, even though this time she was in big trouble. I tried to anticipate her possible defenses for drugging and possibly poisoning her friend, but I knew in my heart I would forgive her, whatever the reason. No matter the impulsive decisions she made, they always came with good intentions. She had a big heart, my Beth.**

**My breath caught—an unconscious reaction left from my human days-- when I saw her come out of the door, smiling politely at the security guard as she breezed past. Like a good LA girl, she clutched her purse in front of her, and I saw her clutch her keys defensively in one hand. The parking lot was well-lit and my long convertible was parked near her compact car—hard to miss me. I was mad at her, but I couldn't help my kicked-in-the-gut reaction to her, couldn't help but return her radiant smile when she realized I was there.**

**She didn't hesitate in going straight to my car and getting into the passenger's side. Next thing I knew, I was enveloped in her warmth and the faint smell of roses. I breathed in her essence, allowing myself the pleasure of just being in her presence before the serious stuff had to intrude. She didn't know it yet, but we both had a lot to answer for tonight. We both had secrets that could mess things up if we let them.**

"**Hello, stranger," she said to me in her best Sexy Beth voice, the one that never failed to make my spine tingle, as well as other vital places.**

"**Hi," I said, and I slowly devoured her delectable mouth. She was quickly getting me off track, as usual. I pulled away long before I wanted to, delighting in the sound of her pounding heart and the feel of her soft hair as I brushed it away from her face. I smiled a little sadly, knowing that soon there would be tears and recriminations, bargaining and pleading. And that was just on my part.**

"**Do you have any plans tonight?" I asked her.**

"**Yes. I was going to pop a Lean Cuisine in the microwave, take a hot bath, and watch **_**Friends**_** reruns. You?"**

"**Hmmm. Well, I was going to pick my girl up from work, take her back to my place, make her dinner, and have an intense conversation that would lead to even more intense make-up sex."**

**I watched the conflicting emotions cross her delicate features. She didn't know what to respond to first. She chose the easy stuff, the little chicken.**

"**Well, in light of that, I guess my plans could change," she said brightly, though her heart had skipped a few beats. Oh, she knew she was in for it. I smiled at her discomfort, then kissed her reassuringly on the cheek.**

"**Let's go then."**

**Just to see her squirm a little, I drew out dinner. She was sitting at the bar in my kitchen, finishing up the last of the pasta and salad I'd made for her. She'd had two fortifying glasses of wine, and I hadn't even brought up anything unpleasant. The conversation had been stilted and uncomfortable on her part as she waiting for the ax to fall. I decided to put her out of her misery.**

"**So, Josef is royally pissed off with you." I began casually. She choked on her wine. I let her get control of herself, patting her on the back until she stopped coughing.**

"**He is?" she asked finally, in a small, slightly scared voice.**

"**Yes, he is. But not half as mad as I am at you. Beth! Black Crystal. Really? What the hell were you thinking?"**

**Beth might be a little afraid of Josef, but she wasn't afraid of me. She visibly collected herself and prepared for a fight. "I was thinking of Simone, and how unfair Josef has been to her. She's unhappy, Mick. She loves him, wants to live in his world. She thinks he loves her too, but he's too scared to do anything about it. She's tired of just being treated like a glorified feed bag when she's ready to commit to a life with him."**

"**Beth, Josef is never going to turn her. You remember what happened with Sarah, right? Yeah, I think he loves her, but that just reinforces in his mind how much he wouldn't want to make the same mistake with her. Your risking her life with Black Crystal when he's been trying to protect her was the absolute worst thing you could have done."**

**We were both quiet a minute, the unspoken parallels in our own relationship hanging in the air. We had embarked on an impossible journey, Beth and I. **_**A bird and a fish might fall in love, but where would they live?**_** I'd heard that quote before I'd ever met Beth; now I fully understood what it meant.**__** I'd been keeping Coraline's cure to myself because I didn't want to have that same conversation. I thought it would be easy to just become human for her, for myself. Boy, had I been misguided. There was nothing remotely easy in this decision.**

"**You're right," said Beth at last, meeting my eyes sheepishly. "It was reckless and stupid and none of my business. I knew it was wrong the minute I suggested it, but Simone jumped on the idea and I didn't have the heart to deny her the chance to feel what it could be like for her. And I was going to tell you last night, but you accosted me the minute you got to my place, and then I fell asleep. I would have told you later in the night, when you woke me up, but your face was in my—"**

"**Yeah, I know," I smirked, seeing her flush at the memory. "I didn't give you a chance to do much talking." I had been trying to avoid talking to her myself, because I had my own secret. It was so much easier to forget everything in her arms.**

"**I warned her about the silver, but she chose to risk it," Beth continued. "She did it for Josef. She would risk everything to be with him, Mick. I wish Josef would realize that."**

**I sighed. It was just as I thought. Beth did what she had for love of her friends. I walked around the bar and took her into my arms.**

"**He'll get over his anger. And Simone is fine. And from what Josef told me, it wasn't all bad, Vampire Simone." I chuckled into her hair. Beth pulled back to look up into my face. Her eyes were shining hopefully.**

"**He liked her that way?"**

**I stopped smiling. "What you and Simone experienced was just the good side of being a vampire. You forget the bloodlust and the sleeping in the freezer and the staying out of the sun. Not to mention the immortality part where you watch everyone you love die and then have to move around so much in order to hide your identity. And did you forget that she could never have children, Beth?"**

"**No," she whispered, suddenly hugging me again tightly. "I didn't forget that." In my current state, I could never give Beth children either. But if I used the cure…**

"**Here, let's go sit down." I held her hand and let her to the couch. "Promise me you'll let Josef and Simone work this out themselves. If he wants to turn her, he will. Otherwise, there's really nothing we can do. I know you hate to see your friend unhappy, but she went into this relationship without blinders, Beth. "**

"**Just like us, Mick," she said, letting loose the big elephant in the room. Well, there was my cue.**

**I had to look away, and my eyes rested on the box on my coffee table. Within it was a solution for us, or at least a temporary one. There were still so many unknowns, that I wished suddenly I had Coraline and her family there so I could grill them about exactly how it worked, how long it lasted, the side-effects besides resistance to fire. Beth's words about Simone risking anything for Josef came back to mind. Would I be willing to do the same for Beth?**

"**Beth, I have a confession to make." She looked at me curiously. "Coraline sent me something. A gift."**

**Her eyes turned immediately suspicious. I leaned forward to open the cigar box and pulled out the note Coraline had enclosed with the cure. **_**I owe you a life.**_** She read it quickly in confusion.**

"**Yeah, I'll say she does," she said, instantly angry. "What the hell does this mean, Mick? Why is she even contacting you? I mean, you spared her life. What more could the bitch want?"**

**I felt myself grinning humorlessly. "You sound like Josef." I took an unnecessary breath. "She also sent me the cure, Beth." Her eyes widened, then grew suddenly, deliriously happy.**

"**Oh, my God! You're kidding me? I can't believe it!" She felt my hands and face with clinical interest. "Have you used it yet? You don't feel warm." She hugged me again, and began rambling on about what this would mean for us.**

**I caught her wandering hands in mine, trying to convey to her that I wasn't feeling quite as happy as she was at that moment.**

"**No. Beth. Listen. Listen to me." She stopped, finally grasping the gravity of the situation, at least for me.**

"**What is it, Mick? This is what you've wanted…isn't it?" I hated to see her dreams crushed, the ecstatic sparkle fade from her eyes.**

"**Yes, it is. Or it was. The truth is, I don't know anymore. I know that I want to be with you. I want to be human for you. But I have no idea how this stuff works. Coraline doesn't either. She told me it worked for months at a time, but her brothers wouldn't tell her anything else. They gave her some when they had to hide that they were vampires, but Lance had kept it from her, until she stole it that time I tried it too." I brought out the little box. "She's sent me the rest of what she had. She didn't know how to make any more, and I'm sure her brothers will kill her if they find out she sent it to me."**

**She looked from the box to me, still excited, but apparently not understanding what the big deal was, why I was hesitating when our dream was finally within our grasp.**

"**Beth, what if we get to the end of what's in that box and not enough time has passed? What if we haven't reached old age together yet and then I have to watch you die because the cure has run out?"**

"**What if, Mick? What if? What if? What if? What if you use the cure and I die tomorrow? What if you use the cure and **_**you **_**die tomorrow? What if some vampire hunter chops your head off? Yes, there are risks in life. True, there are more with being human, but my God, Mick, think of the rewards? Didn't it feel good to walk along the beach in the sun with me? Can't you see us raising our children, having normal lives, eating dinner together—the **_**same**_** dinner together? What about that is so unappealing to you? Or…is it not what you really want anymore? **_**Am I**_** not what you want anymore?"**

**I looked into her tear-filled eyes, knowing my own eyes were watery, just as I knew they would be.**

"**How can you ask me that? I love you, Beth. So much it's tearing me apart to be feeling this way. I'm **_**not **_**unsure of how I feel about you. I will love you till the day I die—till the day either of us dies. It's just—I don't want to make any mistakes. It's so good between us now. I can protect you. I can keep you safe. As a human, I'm not so sure." I stood up, pacing in front of her as all my fears came to the fore.**

"**Mick, you haven't always been able to protect me as a vampire. I get myself into bad situations, and you can't control that. You can't control others. I work around criminals. You have enemies. Bad things are bound to happen. But that's not going to keep me from my job. You staying a vampire is not going to keep bad vamps from coming after us, or keep me from still wanting to be with you. It kills me that you would let your fears stand in the way of us having everything we've always wanted."**

**I stared at her, tongue-tied. She was right. I was right. She was waiting for me to say something.**

"**I need--more time," I said haltingly, flinching when I saw the flash of pain in her eyes. She stood up and grabbed her purse.**

"**Well, call me when you decide, Mick. But don't wait too long. I'm still human, and a lot could happen to me between now and then. I wouldn't want you to have any regrets." **

**A little of the old bitterness had crept back into her disappointment. She'd tried to end it before when I couldn't choose. But the costs were much higher now; we were so much closer that ending things would kill us both. That wasn't even an option anymore. I simply couldn't live without her, vampire or not.**

**I grabbed her arm and pulled her almost roughly back to me. "Please, don't go. I know I'm being selfish, but I need to know you're going to stay with me no matter what. I couldn't bear it, Beth. It would kill me sure as a machete to my neck." I was relieved to see that her eyes softened at once. She reached up to kiss me gently on the lips.**

"**That wasn't an ultimatum, Mick. I'm sorry I got so worked up. I'm going home now because I don't think you can figure this out with me here. It has to be your decision. But you have to know there's no way I could give you up now. We're a part of each other, and I'll take you however I can have you. I'll love you no matter—"Her voice shook with emotion. She swallowed and tried again. "No matter what you decide, we'll make the best of it." And then we were kissing desperately, and our tears mingled on our cheeks, and I tasted the salt on her lips and in her mouth.**

"**I'll take you home," I said at last. She shook her head. **

"**I'll call a cab. You stay here and think." **

**I dug into my pocket and pulled out my car keys. "Here, take my car. I'll get it later and bring yours back to your house by morning."**

**She nodded, a ghost of a smile appearing on her quivering lips. "You trust me enough with your baby?" She took her own keys from her purse and gave them to me.**

"**I trust you with my life," I said seriously, bringing her hand to my lips and taking her keys. She smiled again.**

"**I'm trusting you with **_**both **_**our lives. Don't screw this up, St. John. Thanks for dinner." And then she was gone, the door softly clicking behind her. Well, I guess there would be no intense make-up sex after all.**


	4. Chapter 4

BETH

"Beth!" The pounding on the door began not long after I got home from my near-disastrous dinner with Mick. It was Simone, and she sounded desperate.

"I'm coming!" I said, her anxiety practically seeping through the cracks around the door. I hastily unlocked the two bolts and opened it. Simone rushed past me, bedraggled and crying, her mascara running down her cheeks in little rivers.

"Oh, Beth. I gave Josef an ultimatum, and he kicked me out!"

"What? Calm down, Simone. Let's go sit down. Can I get you something? Tea? Wine?"

"No…no thanks. Oh God, Beth. I'm such an idiot!" I practically pushed her down onto the couch, gripping her hands and looking her in the eyes so she would focus on me and settle down.

"Breath, Simone. Breathe." She gulped and took a few shaky breaths. When she seemed relatively calm, I squeezed her hands and tried again. "Okay, start from the beginning."

"I went over to Josef's to try to explain about the Black Crystal. He was mad, but understanding. I thought everything was going to be alright, but then he told me in no uncertain terms that he would never turn me, so I needed to put the idea out of my mind. Things escalated from there, and I asked him to try to live in my world for a change. Do more human things with me. Stay the night at my place for a change, instead of leaving before dawn. I told him I'd even get a freezer for him." She sniffled and I handed her the Kleenex box.

"Anyway," she continued, pausing now and then to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. "He told me I needed to stop living in fantasy land and accept him for what he was, to quit trying to change him. He said his mama died four hundred years ago, and he didn't need another." I had to wait a few minutes after that revelation before she was capable of continuing. "Then—then I told him that if he couldn't compromise with me, we were through. He—he—he said fine, Beth. He said I knew where the door was!" She wailed again and I took her in my arms, patting and rubbing her back while she cried.

"He's the idiot, Simone. God, why'd we have to fall in love with vampires? Mick and I just had a very similar fight. I don't understand why they can't just give us what we want. Can't they see how logical our arguments are, how they are the ones making things so complicated?" We commiserated in silence awhile, and I finally got up and put the teakettle on. I had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

MICK

I was on my third glass of Scotch when Josef let himself in only half a second after I sensed him at my door.

"She left me, Mick. I told her to leave, and she left me." He walked directly to the bar where the Scotch was and poured himself a glass, downed it, and re-poured.

"You told her to leave? Why?"

"She said some claptrap about me acting more human. Hey, vampire here. I basically told her she wasn't my mother and to either accept me as I am or don't let the door hit her ass on the way out."

I looked at him in shock and awe. "You said this to her? And you're surprised she left?"

"Well—yeah. She knows me, how I spout off when I'm pissed. I was bluffing, Mick, and she actually believed me this time." He gulped his drink and loosened his designer tie. "What the hell's wrong with this woman?"

I regarded him a moment, wanting to laugh at the irony of our similar, yet dissimilar situations.

"So, you didn't really want her to leave? Then why are you at my place instead of groveling at hers?"

"Because I don't grovel Mick. I might change my mind, or choose to forgive her, but I _never_ grovel. I'm simply right, and she's simply wrong. Those are the facts. Nothing I can do about that. She wants me to be human, do more human things with her if I'm not gonna turn her. Compromise my status as a vamp by lowering my standards in order to please a human. A _human_, Mick! I shouldn't have let it get this far. I should have cut her out of my life the minute I started having _feelings_ for her." He shuddered as if he'd tasted something bitter.

"I think you're making a big mistake, Josef. Those feelings you're sneering at are deeper than you're letting on. I think you're in love with her, and withholding what she wants is your way of trying to keep yourself in control."

He stopped pouring his third drink and looked up, his annoyance suddenly directed at me. "Well, that was deep, Dr. Freud. Please, continue the analysis. Come on, I'm genuinely intrigued." I recognized the very real interest just beneath the sarcasm, so I took him up on his request.

"I understand why you won't turn her. You're justly worried it won't take, given the Sarah situation, though I think it's highly unlikely that would happen again. Still, you could find some middle ground with Simone. It doesn't sound like her requests are unreasonable."

He made a scoffing noise and went to my refrigerator , rooting around for blood to add to his liquor.

"It's unreasonable for her to want to change me in any way. I am what I am—which is just about perfect if you ask me. And love—that's for the weak. It was that very weakness that let me think I could turn someone into what she wasn't. It ain't happenin' with Simone, Mick. She'll see very soon what she's given up. She'll come crawling back to me, begging me to take her back, seeing the very human error of her ways. You'll see. I give her one week."

_**Two weeks later…**_

Josef barged into my office. I was doing research on my computer for a missing person case I'd been working, and he immediately picked up his familiar pacing in front of my desk.

"I'm out of my mind, Mick," he was saying.

"I've been telling you that for years," I said, only half listening to his tired rant. After the first week without Simone, Josef had taken to coming to my office in the late afternoons, generally making a nuisance of himself, stubbornly refusing to call her and put an end to all of our suffering. We were rounding week two and I stopped even trying to reason with him.

Beth and I had tabled our own differences, and things had returned to our version of normal. We went out, or we stayed in. She'd even come with me on an all-night stake out, and we ended up having hot teenage sex in the backseat of my car. I'd missed getting pictures of the cheating husband, but I didn't regret it. We made love on Saturday nights and spent Sunday mornings curled up together in her bed until I reluctantly left for my necessary cool-down in my freezer. I had been given a reprieve, but I knew I didn't have much time until I had to make a decision.

In the meantime, I had my best friend to worry about. Or to be annoyed with, whatever the case may be. Today it was the latter.

"I can't eat or sleep. I'm running my business into the ground. She needs to hurry up and start crawling because this waiting is about to kill me—again."

I sighed and looked up from my work. Josef was a mess. His tie was askew and didn't match his suit, or even stylishly clash. His hair hadn't seen gel in days and looked suspiciously like it hadn't seen a comb either. He hadn't shaved in a day or two, and the resulting dirty blonde whiskers were not a good look for him.

"You're an idiot, Josef. Why would a smart girl like Simone want to come back to an idiot?"

"Well, the problem is how stubborn she is. I mean, why can't she be more like Beth? Beth is so patient, so sweet so—biddable."

I barked an involuntary laugh. "Biddable? You gotta be kidding me? You have met Beth, haven't you? Miss Independence herself? Sometimes I'm more afraid of her than I am of direct sunlight. Biddable? Sheesh."

He sat down, to my relief, both hands in his messy hair, elbows inelegantly on his knees, head down in depression.

"You do realize you're going crazy because you're in love with her, right?" This had been my mantra the past two weeks, and I kept repeating it, hoping it would finally seep into his thick skull. Now how this would change things, I didn't know. I did know they always said the first step in conquering an addiction was admitting you have a problem. And Josef definitely had a problem.

"Go home, Josef," I said softly, letting my true worry come through. "Order up a nice freshie, take a cold shower, and spend a long stretch in the freezer. And for God's sake, do us all a favor and shave!" This was my version of tough love.

"I'll try. Other freshies haven't seemed…appetizing lately." He looked up at me then, his eyes red, face gaunt from malnutrition. "I miss her, Mick," said Josef softly.

"I know you do, Josef. Go home and call her."

_**Another two weeks later…**_

By all appearances, Josef had pulled himself together. He was once again taking care of his physical self, but I knew him too well. He was by no means pulled together on the inside. When he showed up at my door, he actually knocked, for once. I guess that was a good thing, considering things were starting to get hot and heavy with Beth and me on the couch. I glanced over at the video monitor and reassured myself that it was Josef, despite the fact that I'd smelled him the moment he'd gotten off the elevator on my floor.

Beth and I groaned our frustration, and I helped her put her blouse back on. Then I walked to the door, zipping my jeans on the way. I glanced back at Beth, now presentable, and she nodded. I took a deep breath and let him in.

"Josef," I said by way of greeting. He smiled his mischievous smile at Beth, and I knew he could smell as well as guess what we'd been up to. It was a little embarrassing, not to mention disgusting. But beneath that elfin grin of his, I saw the strain and the barely contained impatience. Perceptive Beth picked up on it too. She was, of course, privy to the rift between Josef and Simone, and was able to observe things from both perspectives. With that in mind, she made hasty, polite excuses, leaving us guys alone to talk.

I walked her to the door, promising to call her later, kissing her briefly in apology. With whispered "I love you's," she went on her way.

"May I mention again what a great girl you've got there," said my friend with undisguised envy.

"Yes. I'm very lucky. What's up, Josef?"

"I called Simone." At last, I thought. Finally, this torture will end.

"And?"

"She asked me if I was ready to either change her or change myself."

"And you told her…?"

"I told her nothing," Josef replied. "But I know what I need to do now. That's why I'm here, Mick. I want you to use the cure. On me."


	5. Chapter 5

When I finally picked my jaw up off the floor, I could only get out: "You want what?"

"The cure, Mick. I want to be human."

"Uh-huh," I said in disbelief. "Right, Josef. You really are out of your mind."

"I'm not kidding, Mick. I can't go on without Simone, but I'm not gonna turn her. I can't make myself be human, do human things. As a vampire, it's all so distasteful to me now. The weakness, the mortality. I figure, you make me human, I won't have any choice in the matter. I _will_ be human. I can try it out with this cure of yours, see what I've been not missing all these years."

I looked at him, still in disbelief. "You think that if you are human, Simone will stay with you? You believe that that is what she really wants from you? It seems to me, Josef, that she loves you as a vampire. She just wants a compromise."

"That's what I'm tryin' to tell you, Mick. I _can't_ act human. I've tried. It was a disaster. Oh, I can pretend in the business world, in public. But in private? My baser vamp instincts won't seem to let me."

"The cure isn't a game, Josef. You won't just be acting human. You will have all the frailties, the base desires that disgust you so much now. And you won't be able to just stop being human, not by yourself or as soon as you want it. You won't have the heightened senses—and believe me, I think if there was one thing I missed during my brief return to humanity, it was that. It was almost as if I'd suddenly gone blind."

I thought my words might change his mind, or at least make him think a little more. But one thing I'd learned about Josef these last fifty years, he was tenacity personified.

"Please, Mick. Let me at least try it. I mean, you don't seem to have made a decision yet, and you're letting all that fine compound just sit there, going to waste."

I looked at him closely. There were many concerns warring for dominance in my head. For one, I still found it hard to believe Josef, the ultimate happy-as-I-am vampire, wanted to try humanity on for size again. For another, I hadn't decided for myself whether I wanted to use the cure, and it struck me as the height of irony that Josef Kostan was going to beat me to it. There was also, a tiny, selfish part of my brain that felt reluctant to sacrifice some of the compound just so Josef could experiment. But seeing his resolve, I nodded at him once, and went to the safe hidden behind my book shelves.

I'd put it in an airtight box so that no other vampire could smell it and steal it from me, namely, Coraline's remaining brothers. Josef watched every move I made, almost eager to try it now that I'd obviously agreed to help him. I also hid my weapons there, and had to move some aside to access the safe where I kept the box. I punched in the code and removed its precious contents almost reverently.

"Grab a knife from the kitchen," I directed Josef. He got it and joined me on the couch—the same couch where Coraline had first given me the cure. I looked deeply into his eyes.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, Mick, I'm sure. Now what do I do with this knife?"

"Cut your arm. That's where I'll put the compound." I watched him remove his suit coat and roll up his sleeve. I took the knife and made a shallow cut on his right forearm. I scooped out about the same amount Coraline had used.

"Wait—" Josef interrupted. "You think if we used less, it won't last too long?"

"I don't know. This is how much Coralline gave me. You turned me after a few days, so I have no idea how long it might have lasted. She said months—but your guess is as good as mine. We can try using less compound and see what happens."

"Let's try less. If I can't stand being human again, I want it to be as short-lived as possible."

"I could always change you back like you did me."

"No. I'll tough it out. Promise me you won't change me back. God knows I don't want to have to call _you_ Daddy. I mean, I'm four-hundred years older than you."

I chuckled softly, the shared laughter breaking the tension that had been building since he made his request. I put back half of what I'd taken out out with the knife. I held it over the cut, hovering it there, giving him an out.

"Last chance, Josef. You don't have to do this. You don't have to prove anything to Simone."

"Maybe I have to prove something to myself. Do it already." And so I did. He looked down at the wound, how it wasn't healing quickly as vampire skin usually would. It was working, and watching Josef's slow transformation was awe-inspiring to me. I was a little jealous, and tempted to try it again myself. I saw the play of emotions on Josef's face. The warmth he must be feeling was spreading up to his cheeks, bringing new color to his vampire paleness. He clenched and unclenched his fists experimentally as the warmth spread into his hands.

"Oh… Mick…I can feel my heart beating." He looked up at me, eyes wide. "I forgot this. Forgot the warmth, the…life." He stood up, visibly agitated.

"You okay? Josef?" He wasn't listening.

"I gotta go!" And before I knew it, he had left my apartment. I started to go after him, but realized if he was going to be human, he had to learn to be on his own in this. And besides, he knew where I lived if he needed help.

But I was selfishly a little more afraid for myself. He'd left me alone with the open container of the compound. It was like leaving an alcoholic alone with a bottle of Jack. _Josef was human now,_ I marveled. That thought snapped me out of it, and I slid the little box closed. In the back of my mind, I had always thought that if I were human again, Josef would be my back up. He could defend Beth—or me—should the need arise. The idea of us both being human gave me a shaky feeling inside.

I thought about calling Beth, but I had no idea how I would explain the fact that I had given Josef the cure, and not myself. I put the box back in the safe, taking my time to put everything back in place. To keep my mind off things, I went to my office, hoping to get some work done before dawn.

***

The next afternoon, I was awakened again before my alarm. This time, it was a phone call which the caller ID identified as "Josef—Home." I was immediately worried, wondering how my friend was coping with his new humanity.

"Josef?"

"No, sir," said the familiar, very British voice of Josef's butler. "It's Niles, sir. We seem to be having a…situation here, Mr. St. John. If it's not too much trouble, would you mind coming over here? It's Master Josef. He's having some…difficulty."

I could hear the faint sounds of something banging, and then a lot of cussing and yelling from Josef.

"I'll be right there."

"Thank you , sir." And the phone went dead.

_Holy shit, Josef ! _I thought._ What the hell is going on there?_

I was dressed and pulling up to Josef's modern mansion in the hills within thirty minutes, not an easy fete in LA traffic. If it hadn't been in the middle of the afternoon, I could have run there faster. Niles let me in, his face a mask of concern. He was a vampire himself, and I wondered how difficult it must be for him to suddenly be working for a human. It was quiet in the house now, but I could sense things were not quite right.

"Thank goodness, Mr. St. John. Master Josef is not quite himself. It appears he is suddenly—" and he lowered his voice with well-trained discretion—"_human_, sir."

"Yes, Niles, you aren't mistaken. What's been going on?"

"He got home last night, demanding his usual evening refreshment, though when I called in his regular freshie, he took one look at her and turned her away. I brought him bottled blood instead, which he attempted to drink." And here his face blanched. "It's very difficult to get blood out of white carpeting, sir."

"What was that banging I heard on the phone?"

"Well, sir, he had attempted to sleep in the freezer, but locked himself in it, and lacked the strength to break out. All the racket was him pounding on the glass door of the freezer. I fear he was close to hyperthermia by the time I got him out." I would have laughed but Niles seemed very frightened at these odd events.

"Excuse me, sir, but…do you know how this could have happened? I mean, I know it's impossible, but I can hear his heart beating. I can smell his blood. He is no longer a vampire, sir. How can this be?"

"Don't worry, Niles. His condition is only temporary. I'm glad you called me. You're way too good for him."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"Where is he now?"

"Please, follow me. We just received a delivery, and he is uh…seeing to it." Niles led me to the seldom-used dining room, and left me, eager to get away from the spectacle that greeted us. I was shocked at the array of food covering the table. There was steak, lobster, caviar, an entire roast turkey, pasta, chocolate cake, crème Brule—and several other dishes and desserts I couldn't quite identify. I remembered doing pretty much the same when I used the cure. But whereas I had gorged on Chinese food and hot dogs, he had apparently ordered everything he knew wealthy people ate.

At the head of the table, wrapped in a blanket I assumed was leftover from his battle with the freezer, sat Josef the human. In one hand he held a giant turkey leg, and in the other, the leg of a large crab.

"You look like Henry the Eighth," I said dryly, sitting down at the other end of the table. He looked up at me in surprise, having lost the ability to sense a vamp's presence. He tried hard to chew and swallow the large mouthful of turkey, looking around in vain for a napkin. I saw a cloth one beneath a plate and passed it to him.

"Thanks, Mick," he said—or at least that's what it sounded like. He finally swallowed the food and took a gulp from his nearby glass of red wine, wiping his mouth and hands soon after.

"And why would old Hank care about finding the right wife when he had so many other great things to eat?" He smirked at his dirty little joke. "Oh, my God, Mick. I forgot how great food tastes. I wish you could have some."

"Yeah, me too. Niles says you've been having some problems."

He shrugged and I was amused to see him blush for the first time. "Old habits. I don't know quite what to do with myself. In some ways I feel so alive, but in others, so…dull and weak. I don't know if I'll ever get used to this."

I regarded him seriously, not liking the new softness of his features. It was Josef, but somehow…not.

"Regretting this?"

He took another drink. "I don't know. Let's see how Simone reacts first, shall we?"

"You haven't called her yet?"

"No," he replied, unable to help himself from digging his fork into a slice of chocolate cake. "I'm trying to adapt physically before I throw this in her lap." _God, I used to love my mother's chocolate cake, _I thought enviously.

"Hmmmm…I've never had chocolate before…" moaned Josef in ecstasy. He closed his eyes, savoring each bite. "You know, I actually heard a woman equate chocolate with sex once. I now see what all the fuss is about."

"Yeah, good stuff. I remember." I knew one thing for sure, this was not helping me make a logical decision where my own mortality was concerned. I had to turn the focus completely on Josef, and not compare my situation to his.

"So, my human friend, what do you plan to do today?"

He set down his fork, wiping the brown crumbs from his lips. "I'm gonna drive to Vegas with the top down in the middle of the day."

"Wear sunscreen," I injected.

"I guess you can't come with me, though. That won't be too fun." He sat lost in thought a few moments.

"I'll probably just go into the office. Business has been suffering lately."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" I asked.

"Why? What do you mean?"

"Your company is half-full of vampires, Josef, as are your board members. You can't go around other vamps that you know. They'll get suspicious and start asking questions. Or, they might even kill you." I let those thoughts sink in.

"Holy shit! What the fuck did I do?" He slammed his fist down on the table, wincing in pain and shaking his hand out gingerly in frustration.

"You haven't been thinking with your head too much lately," I reminded him pointedly. "I think it's time you finally went on that vacation you've been planning to take the last twenty years."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." His eyes brightened suddenly. "How 'bout a cruise? You and Beth could come with me. You could stay in during the day…I'd take Simone. This could be our chance to test out the new me." I thought briefly of the pile of unfinished casework of my own business. The last several months I'd really let my job suffer, having focused most of my attention on Beth. On the other hand, I really didn't like the slightly manic way Josef was acting. I really thought he might need my protection until he rediscovered the ins and outs of being human.

"I'll ask Beth if she can take off work. She's been there about a year; I think she's entitled to vacation days now."

He clapped his hands together in glee. "I'll call Simone. Don't tell Beth about me yet. I want to surprise everyone."

Well, that was typical Josef behavior. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I'll make all the arrangements. It's on me." He walked over to me and held out his hand. I stood up and shook it, but next thing I knew, I was wrapped in his warm embrace. I felt him squeeze me as hard as he could. I barely even felt the power behind it. When he pulled back, there were tears in his eyes. Tears? I thought I was the sentimental one.

"Thanks, Mick. This might just be the thing that will make Simone come back to me for good." He wiped at his eyes, surprised at the completely uncharacteristic emotional display. He sniffled . "I suddenly realized something. I love you, man." Then we were back to hugging. I rolled my eyes heavenward.

"Yeah, Josef. Me too. And you're welcome. I think." We said our goodbyes and I walked out of the dining room. My last image of Josef was of him dabbing his eyes and nose with the napkin. Did I say this wasn't going to be so bad? Well, I retract that statement.


	6. Chapter 6

BETH

I saw from my window that Josef's limousine had pulled up in front of my condo. Mick had convinced me to ask Ben for some time off, insisting that I deserved it. That _we _deserved some time away. Since there were no pending cases, I lucked out, and Ben gave me a week's vacation time.

I found it a little odd that Josef and Simone would be joining us. We'd never really done the double-dating thing, and, given the recent estrangement of our two friends, it was stranger still that they would choose this time to work on their relationship with Mick and me tagging along. I'd never be able to understand the extremely wealthy, or vampires, for that matter—and Josef Kostan was both. I grabbed my suitcase and purse and went downstairs to meet my ride.

The driver took my bag and stowed it in the trunk. I saw Simone was the only one inside as the driver opened the door for me and I climbed in. Only seconds later, we had pulled away from the curb, heading toward the freeway.

"Where are the guys?" I asked, after I'd settled into the lush, leather seats.

"They're meeting us at the port in Long Beach. Don't know why they couldn't have joined us. God knows you could fit a football team in here."

I smiled in agreement. Simone seemed to be a little nervous about our trip, and I could only assume it was because she was worried about spending all that time with Josef after they'd been apart over a month.

"So, did you and Josef hash things out?"

"No," she replied, sounding a little depressed. "He called me and asked if I would sail away with him. He said he would try to live in my world for awhile, but I reminded him that 'my world' did not include seven days on a cruise ship to Mexico."

I laughed. "Mine neither. But you gotta admire the romance of the gesture. Mick told me Josef has really missed you and that he wants to make things right with you. And he has a big surprise for us."

I might have been giving away a little too much by telling her this, even though I didn't know what the surprise was, either. I just wanted to prepare her as much as I could, but it was hard to predict the unpredictable where Josef was concerned. Mick too, for that matter. He'd been awfully secretive lately, and it was starting to become a little annoying. Mick was a terrible liar, so, while I don't think he was actually lying to me, it was obvious he was definitely trying to keep something from me. When I confronted him about our pact against keeping secrets, he'd told me it wasn't his secret to tell. That could only mean Josef was up to something, and he was using Mick to help him somehow, as usual.

It was Saturday, and traffic was light, so we made it to Long Beach in less than an hour. Simone had raided the minibar for a fortifying glass of wine, which I declined so early in the day. I patted her hand in sympathy and tried to make polite conversation about the trip to come.

I was actually very excited, having never been on a cruise. The idea that I would be rooming with Mick made me shiver inside, as did the thought of sleeping in his arms for a week. Aside from the occasional sleepover, we'd never been together for longer than a weekend. I wondered vaguely how he would handle the freezer situation. I shrugged. I'm sure the boys had everything all figured out.

The cruise ship was huge, and the gangplank was lowered to accept boarding passengers. We were dropped off right at the entrance, the driver having told us that Josef and Mick were already onboard. A porter took our luggage and we followed him into the opulence inside. It was just as I had imagined it—all chrome and gold and garishness. But it was beautiful, in an overwhelming kind of way. We were handed off to the purser, then led to our floor to our separate suites. Josef hadn't wanted to assume anything with Simone, so she had a separate room from his. I was let in to Mick's, and while I was disappointed he wasn't there, I saw his small, masculine duffle on the floor of the closet, a few familiar shirts hanging up already. There was a note on the bed for me in Mick's neat hand:

_Welcome aboard, sweetheart. Nice digs, eh? Josef and I are on the Lido deck near the pool. Wear your bikini._

_Love,_

_Mick_

Hmmmm….two vampires outside in the middle of the day. There must be plenty of shade around that pool. I chuckled as I put on the new turquoise bikini I'd bought for the trip. Only here five minutes and he already had my clothes off. Simone's soft knock came as I was slipping on my bathing suit cover-up. I opened the door to find her similarly dressed.

"You must have gotten the memo too," I said, slipping on my flip-flop sandals, then grabbing my beach bag, floppy hat, and sunglasses.

"Yes. A very cryptic note from Josef. I figured we'd be staying inside until nightfall. I admit I didn't expect to see Josef so…publicly after so long without him."

"I bet he's ready to do some very public groveling," I said, as we walked back down the narrow hall to the elevator.

"Ha. Josef doesn't grovel. I'd be lucky to get any kind of apology at all. No, this cruise is his understated way of wanting to put things behind us. So sorry you have to share in the drama of the moment." At that moment, the door slid back.

I laughed, looking around at the beautiful upper deck, which was already filling with passengers who had similar ideas. "Don't mind me. I'll deal somehow." It was very bright and I put on my sunglasses against the glare. Just as I suspected, I saw Mick sitting at a table beneath a shady overhang, looking very sexy and relaxed in a white cotton t- shirt and khaki linen pants. He wore sunglasses as well, and was nursing a cold drink. If there hadn't been a brisk breeze, I know he would have been inside where it was air-conditioned.

Simone and I joined him, but Josef was nowhere to be seen. Mick rose and greeted us both with kisses on the cheek, although he lingered a little longer on mine.

"Hey," I breathed, physically affected by him as usual. He grinned knowingly, no doubt hearing the increase of my heartbeat. He pulled out chairs for us and we sat, then gave our drink orders to the waiter. I had iced tea, but Simone had another glass of white wine. She was looking a little fidgety, but finally found the courage to ask where Josef was.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of Mick's lips, and he took a drink to cover it. "He's by the pool." He nodded toward the huge lima-bean shaped swimming pool, the deep aqua glinting in the sun. Simone and I turned to scan the area closer to the pool, but only saw the backs of lounge chairs pointing toward the water. Josef couldn't possibly be there. We both looked askance at Mick, but he pointed to a chair, and Simone rose cautiously to find out what was up. I smiled encouragingly.

When she was out of earshot, I heard Mick's quiet laughter. "What's going on?" I asked, finally reaching the end of my patience where all the secrecy was concerned.

"Just watch," he said simply, sitting back in his chair as if awaiting a show. So I watched. Simone obviously found the right chair, and she nearly jumped back when Josef got up. For Josef, not covered head to foot as Simone and I had both suspected, was shirtless and hatless, wearing nothing but Hawaiian patterned board shorts and a smile. Simone reached out tentatively to touch his bare chest (which, I have to say, was finely honed), and pulled her hand away as if it had been burned. I couldn't hear them, but Mick could, and he was grinning from ear-to-ear. I watched in awe as Simone was pulled into Josef's arms, and even from a distance I could see the shock clearly etched on her flushed face.

Mick looked away from the spectacle in embarrassment, not wanting to intrude further on their private moment. I guess it was then that it dawned on me.

"You gave him the cure, didn't you?" I said, trying to keep the accusatory tone out of my voice, but failing miserably. He had the wisdom to look sheepish.

"Yeah. He begged me for it, Beth. He was going crazy without Simone, and knew the only way to act human for her was to _be _human. He didn't use too much, if that's what you're worried about." I looked at him in such turmoil that I didn't know how to begin to respond. I wasn't mad, exactly. I took a moment to analyze my feelings, while Mick sat there, uncomfortably awaiting my blow up. I realized at last that what I was feeling was…hurt.

"Josef didn't want you to tell me. That's why you kept it from me."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about that. I didn't really see the harm in telling you, but Josef insisted he wanted to make the grand gesture. He's always been a little theatrical," he finished dryly.

"A little." I looked back at Josef and Simone, who by now were deep in conversation, and I was pleased to see how well she was taking the amazing news that her vampire was now a human. I remembered vividly what that felt like, and it was with great envy that I turned to Mick. I wished he would take those damn sunglasses off so I could see what he was feeling.

"So, where's _my_ surprise, Mick? No human boyfriend for _me_?" He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. I guess my hurt had morphed into anger.

"Beth—"

"Mr. Badass Vamp, Josef Kostan, could take the risk of being human, but you, who has always claimed to hate being what you are—you won't do it for me? For us? I don't get you, Mick. I really, honestly don't."

I was tempted to get up and leave, but I didn't want to make a scene, and I wanted to have this out once and for all. I was pleased with myself that I'd kept my voice down so far.

"Please, Beth," Mick was saying, "let me explain." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Go ahead." _This ought to be good,_ I thought.

"The truth is, I haven't decided yet what I want to do. I keep going over it in my mind, weighing the pros and cons. When Josef came to me, well, it was all about him and Simone. I gave him the cure so he could figure out some things. Please, Beth. Give me more time. I promise I'm almost there. Right now, I have to be a vampire to protect Josef from getting himself killed while he's human. He's completely forgotten how after four-hundred years."

I reached for my napkin and dried the tears that had started falling from beneath my glasses. He reached for my other hand again, and this time I let him take it.

"I'm sorry, Mick. You know how hard it is for me to be patient. And I know you are always trying to do the right thing." I pushed my sunglasses up on my head so he could see my eyes. He squeezed my hand beneath his.

"Look at them, Beth." I glanced back at Josef and Simone, who were now frolicking like children in the pool. I couldn't help but smile. God, they looked so happy. "That might be us someday," he continued, softly pleading with me for understanding. "It's worth waiting for, isn't it? You want me to be sure, don't you?"

"Yes," I whispered. But the moment was interrupted by the blowing of the horn that signaled the ship was on its way. I took a sip of my tea, and watched Mick watching the lovebirds in the pool. I could tell he genuinely wished he could be out there with them. He wasn't deliberately trying to torture me.

"Are you too hot?" I asked him suddenly, unable to resist reaching out to remove his glasses so he was sure to get my hint. His hazel eyes had taken on a pale green cast in the light, and they began to glow softly with just a hint of vampire silver.

"Yeah. And a nap would do me good too," he said slyly. "How about you?"

I yawned melodramatically, stretching for emphasis. Simone and Josef were totally oblivious to anyone but each other, so Mick stood and helped me to my feet. I picked up my bag and took his proffered arm. I guess he'd just have to see my new bikini in private.

MICK

It wasn't until much later on our first night onboard that Beth and I were ready to emerge from our cabin. I'd finally had that make-up sex I'd been wanting. And, for the record, that bikini of hers was very impressive, which I dutifully noted as I removed it with my teeth.

We were to meet our friends in the hallway, having agreed via phone to eat dinner together. It was one of those restaurants on the ship where you had to wear a jacket and tie—not my favorite look—but I was more than encouraged to wear it when Beth helped me with my tie, giving me come-hither looks that nearly prevented our leaving. Her praises at how well I filled out my suit were quite the ego boost, and I had similar complements for her low-cut, deep blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes.

Though Beth looked perfect to me, she claimed to need to make some "finishing touches," and while our suite was large by cruise ship standards, I felt the need to get out of the cramped space so I waited for her in the hall. Josef had similar ideas.

"What's up, Josef?" I asked

His sudden, humorless laugh was more like a yelp. "Therein lies the problem, my friend." When I looked at him in confusion, his face reddened even more beneath his faint sunburn.

"Problem? You and Simone seemed well on your way to make-up land when we left you at the pool."

"Oh, we made up, and she was definitely getting into the all-human, all the time Josef. That is, until I uh, acted like a virgin on his wedding night."

"Huh? You mean you—" I couldn't believe it. This was just too priceless.

"I kinda dropped my coins _in front of _the slot machine. Not exactly conducive to pleasing the lady, if you know what I mean. Has to be a human thing. This never happened when I was a vampire."

I rolled my eyes. That's what all men say, right? Of course, it hadn't happened to me since my own first time—when I was fifteen. No, really; it hadn't.

"How did Simone react?"

"Oh, she was understanding and all, but I'm sure she felt like she was being serviced by Jiffy Lube. Then when we tried again—shit, Mick, do you suppose they sell Viagra in the gift shop?"

I chuckled a little too loudly.

It was about this time that Beth and Simone came out of their rooms as if on cue. At our guilty looks, Beth looked at the two of us suspiciously.

"Something amiss, gentlemen?" she asked. I actually snorted at that, and Josef gave me a dirty look. _More like a hit and a miss, _I thought, stifling another laugh.

"No, not at all," Josef said casually, offering his arm to an elegant Simone, dressed in emerald green. I took Beth's hand and the four of us headed for the elevator.

Dinner was buffet style, and I watched in amusement as Josef came back to our table, plate overflowing with what seemed like every choice possible. He dug in at once, not noticing the raised eyebrows of the women. It was strange to be the only vampire, but I drank my Scotch, content to watch my human friends indulge.

The waiter came round to refill glasses and ask if there was anything more he could get us.

"Not eating tonight, sir," he asked me curiously.

"No, I had a bite earlier," I said, winking at Beth, who flushed scarlet as we both recalled the bite marks I'd left on her inner thigh earlier. While I'd stocked the mini-fridge in our room with opaque, unmarked bottles of blood, I was still glad to partake of whatever Beth more than willingly offered me. The other two members of our party smiled knowingly as the waiter tactfully moved on.

My attention was drawn again to the way Josef was putting away the chow. It was not a pretty sight, and I could tell Beth and Simone were a little embarrassed by his almost barbaric display. Josef hadn't eaten human food at a table with others since the 1600's—not exactly a time known for its elegant table manners. I leaned closer to him.

"Hey, pace yourself, Buddy," I cautioned him in a whisper. He became self-conscious immediately, closing his mouth as he continued chewing a huge mouthful.

The dinner conversation was lively, with talk of the ship's amenities and the ports of call in Mexico that awaited us. I kept one eye protectively on Josef, so I was the first to notice how green around the gills he suddenly seemed.

"You wanna get some air, Josef" I asked him. He gingerly laid down his napkin, and waved away Simone's concern as I walked with him to the nearest door leading outside. We stood a moment near the railing, and I admired the beautiful full moon mirrored on the water beneath us. Suddenly , I saw Josef break out in a sweat, then unceremoniously stepped up to lean over the railing and empty the rather large contents of his stomach into the Pacific. He moaned in what sounded like agony, and I pulled out my pocket square so he could wipe his mouth and brow. The wind caught it, and Josef automatically reached for the handkerchief, unintentionally overextending himself. For some reason, still unknown to me to this day, my vampire reflexes didn't kick in in time to save him from falling over the railing, plunging into the ocean far below.

I heard a distinct splash, then Josef's distant cry. "Help! Mick! I can't swim!"

"Well, son-of-a-bitch," I muttered, kicking off my shoes and diving in after him.


	7. Chapter 7

MICK

Josef and I sat in deck chairs, large towels draped over us, Simone and Beth fussing almost as much as the concerned crew. Concerned about being sued, I'm sure.

When Josef had fallen over the railing, several people near us had cried, "Man overboard!" Before we knew it, the giant ship had stopped and a small rescue boat was in the water, shining its spotlight on us. I had held on to Josef's buoyant figure easily through the water, grabbing the life preservers and hauling him onto the little boat without needing any help from the scrambling crewmen. I knew Josef was going to be okay when his frustrated cussing filled the boat, along with what seemed like half the Pacific he'd coughed up.

"Fuck this," Josef was mumbling now as a pretty waitress brought us hot drinks. The ocean had been warm as bathwater, but Josef couldn't seem to stop shivering, likely from equal parts shock and embarrassment.

" Do humans really have testicles? 'Cause I-I think that's a huge m-myth. I don't think I grew a p-pair until I was turned. Now, I'm nothing but-but a-a stoneless weakling." His voice shook pitifully.

"Try to settle down," Simone was saying, rubbing the towel over him in what looked to be a soothing motion. He took a sip of his hot toddy, grimacing at the taste. Beth was sitting in a chair beside me, holding my hand, her features tense at what she perceived was our near-death experience. As a vampire, I didn't have to worry about such things as drowning, since we don't have to breathe, so I was feeling no ill effects. Had I not been there, however, it might have been a completely different story for Josef. It was my turn to shiver at the thought.

We all agreed it was time to call it a night, even though it was still very early.

"Thanks, Mick," Josef said softly as we were about to part company for our separate rooms. "I guess you're running the tab for me right now."

I smiled. "Don't keep score. You'll be returning the favor for me before you know it."

"You're probably right," he replied, a glimmer of vampire Josef emerging in his faintly cocky smirk.

So ended our first day at sea.

****

The next day, Josef was decidedly less enthusiastic about cruising, but he agreed to escort the ladies to our first port of call, Santa Catalina Island. Since it was the middle of the day, I begged off, choosing instead to stay on the ship and get some much-needed sleep. I was reluctant to let Josef go without my protection, but I figured, how much trouble could he possibly get into?

I had made arrangements to have the tub in mine and Beth's suite filled with ice, claiming to have a skin condition that required ice baths. It wasn't as comfortable as my freezer back home, but I didn't see how I could justify sneaking into the ship's kitchens in search of a bed, so I made do. I awoke in the late afternoon rested, though not completely refreshed.

I had just downed my bottled breakfast when Beth swept in the room, hands full of shopping bags, face tinged pink from the sun beneath her floppy straw hat. She looked amazing. When I looked more closely at her expression, though, she seemed a little troubled.

"What happened?" I asked, setting down my bottled blood and going over to her to help her with her purchases. She pulled off her hat and tossed it on a chair, then sat down heavily on the bed.

"Josef got stung by a jelly fish." That was absolutely the last thing I thought she would ever say. I felt my lips twitching in amusement, but, given her concern, I tried to keep my voice level. She kicked off her sandals and lay back on the bed in exhaustion, eyes closed.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

"Yeah—now. We were walking along the beach, and suddenly I heard what I thought was a girl screaming. I turned to look behind me, and there was Josef, lying on the sand, writhing in pain. A nice young man came over and urinated on his foot, which didn't exactly sit well with Josef, but I guess his pain went away a little. Oh—" She opened her eyes and looked up at me suddenly. "He swore me to secrecy on that point. You'll have to pretend I didn't tell you."

By this time, I couldn't help myself. I felt my body literally shaking to avoid the wave of hilarity overtaking me. I made the mistake of sitting on the bed, because my suppressed mirth made the bed shake too.

Beth eyed me suspiciously. "Go ahead, Mick, let it all out. But you weren't there. It was a disaster. Simone was beside herself. And Josef's foot looks like it belongs to the Elephant Man_._" At that, I finally lost it, laughing until the tears flowed, imagining calm, cool Josef having some strange man piss on his foot.

"Did you get a picture," I finally asked, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. Sure enough, Beth had, showing me the image of his mottled foot on her digital camera. This set me off anew, but this time, having had enough distance away from the situation, Beth joined in. She filled in the details of how they got him to the island hospital—the piss boy having kindly carried Josef on his back, holding on like a monkey, while trudging through the sand and up to the street, where they caught a cab. When we had both calmed down, I began to see the seriousness of the situation—at least for Josef.

"I take it he's in his room now?"

"Yeah, Simone is taking care of him, applying the salve the doctor gave us. He's basically acting like a big baby. I think they'll be staying in the cabin tonight."

"Hmmm….sounds like a good idea," I said wickedly.

I suddenly rolled over and pulled Beth beneath me. She smelled like suntan lotion and the sea, and her body was warm and brown from the sun. Her blue eyes sparkled up at me, and I was lost. I lowered my mouth to hers, one hand sliding up her smooth inner thigh beneath her cute little sundress, the other buried in her windblown hair. She clung to me, no doubt enjoying the differences in our body temperatures as much as I was.

Despite her murmured protests that she was sweaty and dirty from the beach, I untied and unbuttoned her dress, my tongue tracing the tan lines near her perfect breasts, licking the salty, coconut flavor while her hands found my hair, holding me closer against her. My mouth continued its southern journey, stopping a moment to feast at her navel, then down farther, where I moved aside her panties, listening to her sweet moans and indrawn breaths that quickly turned to soft cries of release.

A few minutes later, and I found myself on my back, Beth removing my only clothing—my boxers—and taking off her own underwear before sliding slowly down upon me. I heard my own groans fill the room, the bed shaking again for an entirely different reason as we hit upon a sensual rhythm. She finally collapsed upon me, both of us spent and satisfied. Her warm arms surrounded me, her silky hair spilling over my chest in abandon.

"God, how I love you," she breathed at last, before I felt her drift off to sleep. Even though I had just awakened from my own nap, I couldn't find the will to break our connection. I lay beneath her the rest of the afternoon, loving her with every fiber of my being.

***

The next morning, the invalid appeared with Nurse Simone pushing him in a wheelchair. I really tried not to laugh at his feet—his injured one bare, the other in a slightly feminine flip-flop. Beth's description of his foot really didn't do it justice; it was an ugly, misshapen mess. Except for the itching, Josef said he was doing fine. As an added bonus, he was painfully sunburned.

I watched my three companions eating a beautiful breakfast beneath the giant umbrella of the outdoor cafe, then the girls excused themselves for a day of pampering at the onboard spa. Josef smiled in farewell, but the moment they were out of earshot, his face fell into a tortured frown.

"I'll pay you one million dollars to turn me back right now."

I laughed.

"Two million."

"Josef, you made me promise you I wouldn't turn you back, no matter how much you begged. You said you wanted to tough it out."

"I was an idiot. Turn me, Mick. For the love of God, turn me."

I shook my head, completely serious now. "It's been what—a week? How long did it take you to get used to being a vampire?"

Josef thought a moment. "A year, maybe."

"See," I reasoned, "You just need to get your bearings again, that's all."

"Mick, seriously. Look at me. First, I nearly froze my ass off in my own bed, then I did the Great Pacific Puke over the railing, narrowly escaping drowning in the process. Oh, and yesterday, I got stung by a fuckin' sea monster! And today—well, today you could fry an egg on my forehead. To top that off, I'm thinking of changing my name to Flaccido Domingo, or maybe Not-So-Magic Johnson—I just can't fuckin' decide!" He was breathing heavily now, and I was honestly afraid he might have a heart attack; I'm sure his blood pressure was sky high.

Passengers with families were giving us dirty looks, and I reached over to put my hand on Josef's shoulder, hoping to calm him down. He realized where he was and lowered his voice. "How the hell am I supposed to get my bearings when I'm in a fucking wheelchair?"

"True, you've had more than your fair share of mishaps—" I began.

"Mishaps? Mick, it takes most humans a lifetime to rack up the track record I've managed in a week. You gotta turn me back before I kill myself—intentionally or unintentionally—it's a toss-up which might happen first."

He sat back in his wheelchair, downing his morning Bloody Mary in one gulp. We sat in silence a moment, both of us lost in thought, both stubborn in our positions.

"Come on, Josef, give it a month. If things don't improve, I'll bite you, I promise."

"I have other vampire friends, Mick," he said softly, meaning the threat. Now, I was suddenly pissed off too.

"And how will you explain your sudden human state to these _other friends_? You'd risk exposing my secret because you're too much of a pussy to suffer through the kind of stuff humans go through all the time? I warned you about this, Josef, and you wouldn't listen, but you'd better listen to me now. Suck it up, man. You may be human, but you're still the same in your head, aren't you? Would Josef the vampire curl up and die? Hell, no, he wouldn't! He'd beat the shit out of whatever was trying to bring him down. Quit being such a lame ass and be a man." I looked away, trying to stop myself from breaking out in fangs.

Josef stared at me in awe as I wound down my pep talk. I knew the old Josef was still in there, for, as usual, he found the humor in the situation.

"If you say 'Win one for the Gipper,' I think I just might cry."

His quick wit was like a magic balm, and I felt my anger melting away with my relieved laughter.

"I'm sorry for being so hard on you, Josef. I know you must be in a lot of pain and discomfort—I didn't mean to add to it with my two cents."

Josef sighed, absently spiking up his hair in consternation. "You're right—I _am_ feeling sorry for myself. I guess being a vampire so long, I got a little condescending toward humans, thinking their lives must be so easy that it would be nothing for me to just jump right back into the mortal coil. It really must be a pain in the ass to have to think about dying or getting hurt all the time. I don't know why they just don't all put bullets into their brains."

"Some do, Josef, but you've got a stronger will than most. Hang in there a little longer, okay?"

"Fine. A month, tops. But it's all your fault if I don't survive that long. And I might also have to take you out of my will."

"Deal," I said, relieved. The idea that Josef would waste what little of the cure remained had infuriated me. I loved him like a brother, but he could be so self-centered and spoiled sometimes.

"So, you wanna try our hand at ripping off the casino?" Josef asked, extending his own version of an olive branch.

"Sure," I said, getting up to push his wheelchair inside. I couldn't resist one last dig, however.

"You know, Josef, you forgot to mention one minor incident in that long list of injuries of yours."

"Oh?"

"What exactly did it feel like to have some kid piss on your foot? I mean, could this be considered some weird fetish now?"

I could actually hear his heart lurch at my casual words; it was almost better than seeing his face at that moment. And I was glad he couldn't see my ear-to-ear grin.

"You do realize that I'm going to have to kill Beth when I'm a vampire again."

I laughed in complete understanding. "Welcome to my world, Josef."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: This chapter takes a decidedly serious turn, but don't worry, I will pick up the humor in the next go-round. I think I was just in a weird mood, and a little writer's blocked as to how to change it. Hope you still enjoy it—it does move the plot along though, and hopefully not a total downer, lol. Thanks for all the great reviews! Please continue to let me know what you think!

MICK

It was the afternoon of our last full day at sea. Out of deference to Josef's injuries, we had hung out the rest of the time on the ship, not disembarking at Ensenada like most everyone else had. But by six o'clock, Josef was getting a little stir crazy, insisting that with the sun setting, it would be fine if we all had a look around until we had to be back onboard by eleven that night. His foot was much improved, and he said he needed a good shot of real Mexican tequila, so off we went, Simone pushing his wheelchair down the ramp and onto the cobblestone streets of the little port city.

The girls had to stop at a street vendor and buy some Mexican trinkets to take home with them, and Josef and I stood back like patient husbands until they rejoined us, Beth taking my hand so naturally it seemed almost surreal. It was small moments like these that sometimes overwhelmed me.

"Hey, Mick," Josef said to me as we wheeled him past bar after bar on the main street of town. "You ever heard of Madre y Cervesas?"

"Uh, yeah. Pretty wild place is what I've heard. Lots of their bumper stickers on cars around LA. You're not thinking of going there, are you?" Oh, I'd definitely heard of it. Not a nice place.

"Why not? You ladies are up for it, aren't you?"

Beth and Simone looked at each other, their eyes wide at the suggestion. Then, as if on cue, they both said: "Hell yeah!"

"Oh, I forgot we've got Thelma and Louise with us," I said, only half kidding. Why wasn't I surprised they were interested in some Spring Break hangout where women were tipped over by the waiters and force-fed shooters? My protective instincts warned me this wasn't such a good idea, but I was hopelessly outnumbered.

"It's somewhere on this street, I think," Josef said, clearly excited now. I was glad the girls weren't wearing dresses that evening, given the tipping tradition of the place. Loud hard rock announced the place long before we saw it. Only six o'clock, and it was packed, people spilling out the doors beneath the bar's giant neon sign.

I looked at Beth after she whispered something in Simone's ear.

"You sure you want to go in this dive," I asked her. Beth smiled gamely.

"Come on, Mick. It'll be okay. We'll just go in and have a drink, see what all the fuss is about. Then, if we aren't having any fun, we'll leave." She squeezed the hand she'd been gripping during our walk, batting those baby blues at me in that way she had that would make me do anything. God, I was so whipped. Josef had caught the whole exchange and chuckled knowingly.

At first I thought maybe I'd get a reprieve, and it would be too crowded to get in. No such luck. Everyone cleared out of the way as Simone pushed Josef's chair inside the door, parting the crowd like the Red Sea. It wasn't really as crowded as it had first seemed, and we managed to find a table in a darkened corner. A waiter instantly appeared to take our drink orders, and we settled down to watch the antics of the drunken college students playing their drinking games and generally acting well—like college students. It was certainly too loud to talk to one another, so by the time our drinks arrived, we'd pretty well taken in all that the place had to offer.

The tequila was good, though. I was ready to leave the minute we got a chance, and I was grateful to see the girls were disappointed enough in the overly hyped bar that we could leave right away. They excused themselves to use the restroom first. Looking around us, Josef and I were feeling decidedly old. But did I mention the tequila was good? I ordered another round while we waited. About fifteen minutes passed, and Josef and I were getting a little worried about what was taking Beth and Simone so long.

"I'll go check on them," Josef hollered over the music, forgetting that I for one could hear him even if he had spoken at a normal level. "I need to use the facilities anyway myself." Before I could protest, he had zoomed away through the crush, following the arrow pointing the way to "El Banos." I couldn't leave when I saw Beth's purse and street vendor purchase were still at the table. I sighed. _Great. I was babysitting handbags now. _

After another ten minutes of clock watching, I was about to stoop to the manly level of carrying my girlfriend's purse when a sudden crash and some women's screams made their way past the deafening music to my vampire hearing. _Well, shit. _I slung the bag over one shoulder and headed for the bathrooms, pushing kids out of the way--gently, I hoped, despite the _fuck you's _ that followed me.

I hadn't realized it before, but the restrooms were actually accessed by a boardwalk outside, surrounded by a courtyard, where more tables were occupied by more young people drinking. At least that's what they had been doing before the fight had broken out. I was seeing the aftermath, apparently.

"Josef!" The wheelchair had somehow rolled off the walkway with Josef in it, and he lay pinned beneath it, his right arm at an awkward angle, blood pouring from his nose and the corner of one eye. But I didn't quite have time to help him out, for I saw that Beth and Simone were being held by two hugely muscular men in gray t-shirts, "security" emblazoned across them. The girls were struggling in the men's strong grips, especially Simone, nearly hysterical at Josef's state on the ground.

I tried to remain calm and not burst into fangs at the sight our women being manhandled by some goons

"What's going on here?" I asked in mock politeness, trying hard to ignore Josef's moans.

"These your senoritas?" asked Beth's captor.

"Yes. Why are you holding them?"

"They were doing drugs in el bano, senor," said the other guy, "and we were searching this one's bag for them. The man in the wheelchair, he went loco. He attacked us, so we attacked back, eh Guzman?" They both laughed raucously.

"We don't have any drugs!" Beth was saying for probably the hundredth time. "I've never even tried any—well, does Black Crystal count? But we have nothing now, I swear."

I noticed the man holding Simone had taken her camera, phone, and wallet from her bag; the wrist straps encircled his arm. This must have been what he'd confiscated in his "search." I was painfully aware of our audience, which was all that kept me from turning. That, and the close quarters on the boardwalk made me fear that Beth and Simone might get hurt in the scuffle.

"Let them go," I said in my deepest, most persuasive voice, "and we'll leave this fine establishment. Keep what you've 'found' in her bag—no hard feelings."

"Sorry, senor, we're going to have to hold your friends on suspicion of drug use and resisting arrest," said Guzman almost happily. "The policia should be here any minute. And gracias—we'll be happy to keep what we found in her bag." The two men laughed again, Simone's guard sinking his nose into her hair, inhaling luxuriantly.

"You get your hands off them right now, or I swear to God I'll rip your throats out!" This had been Josef's standard threat when he had been a vampire. Now, with him prone on the grass, it just seemed a little ridiculous. But I certainly knew what he was feeling.

By this time, Josef had struggled to a sitting position and was trying to get the wheelchair upright. Had it been just one short week ago, we would have beaten the hell out of these guys and escaped with our women. As it was, I didn't see how I could do it and get away without leaving Josef behind. But it was taken out of my hands, for by then, the police had arrived, coming in the courtyard through a side gate. I jumped off the boardwalk and helped Josef up, grabbing a handful of napkins from a table to help staunch the blood from his nose. I hate to say it, but Josef's human blood smelled very good. I turned my face away the best I could, helping him into the wheelchair, then feeling his arm, which I could tell right away was broken in two places.

Seeing the police, our drunken audience suddenly cleared out, heading back inside the bar. Some were laughing at our plight, but most were too drunk to care. I felt as helpless as Josef likely did as the bar security updated the policemen in rapid Spanish, and my three friends were taken to out through the courtyard gate to a police car and pushed inside, the wheelchair left on the side of the road. Beth and Simone looked like they were in shock, and Josef had his head in his one good hand, his broken arm awkwardly pulled up to his chest.

"Don't worry," I said to them through the glass. "I'll get you out of this."

My last sight of them before they pulled away was of Beth's huge, pleading eyes, moist with tears. My last thought as they pulled away was decidedly filled with anger.

_Dammit, Josef._


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Okay, hopefully I'm back on my game again. There's a little bit of housecleaning I have to do first, but I'm giving you a Mick/Josef scene at the end to make up for my last chapter. Oh, and this one is super-sized as well. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Enjoy the show!

PS: I've posted two chapters in the last few days, so if you haven't read Ch. 8, you might want to go back and check it out before proceeding, so you know what the heck is going on.

Chapter 9

MICK

I used my cell phone to call a lawyer friend of mine back in LA—also a vampire-- to ask his advice. His name was Alistair Martin, a Texan who'd been turned in the 1800's by the pretty senorita who was now his wife. He laughed when I explained our situation—leaving out, of course, the minor point that Josef was human now.

"So, Josef got his ass thrown in a Mexican jail? Don't that beat all. Why doesn't he just bite the guards and break out?"

Now there was an unanswerable question. "Well, it's complicated by the fact that our human girlfriends were arrested too. We can't get them out safely, or run the risk of making our uh—true selves known to the authorities down here. Any other suggestions?"

"Money is the only thing that'll save you guys, I'm afraid. Good thing Josef has enough to buy the whole country if he wanted to."

"You mean pay off the police?" I asked.

"That'll do it. Don't let on just exactly how much Josef is worth, or they'll drain you dry. Of course, you still have that option with them…"

"I really don't, tempting as it is. Hey, thanks, man. When we get back to LA, you'll have to come for a poker night. And I'd love for you to meet my Beth."

"Human, you say? She must be somethin' special for you to be with a human. Except for the occasional freshie, I've never known you to have a live one on the line."

I chuckled, feeling a stab of fear at the same time. _My Beth was in a Mexican jail. _

"She's special, alright. Thanks again." We disconnected, and I headed back toward the ship at a full run. I knew just where Josef kept his cash hidden in his room; I just hope he'd brought a lot.

BETH

I leaned my head against the bars of our cage, trying not to inhale the smells of alcohol, sweat, and vomit emanating from my cellmates behind me. It was like every bad movie I'd ever seen that included a Mexican jail scene, and I was equal parts scared and disgusted. No, I take it back—I was definitely more frightened than anything else, for the usual outcome of those movies was that the captives were never heard from again. I'd overcome my shock enough for the reality of our situation to sink in, and the only thing that kept me from falling into hysterics was the idea that Mick was still out there, and I knew he wouldn't rest until we were free.

I walked back over to Simone and Josef, huddled on the floor in a corner, Josef's head in her lap. He'd lapsed in and out of consciousness, his face swollen where the security guys had belted him in his lame attempt at rescuing us. At least his nose had stopped bleeding. Simone had torn off the bottom half of her flowered t-shirt and fashioned a makeshift sling for his broken arm, but he still lay in pain, moaning pitifully every once in awhile. _How the mighty hath fallen, _I thought uncharitably. I know that it was the damn security guards and the Mexican police who'd put us here, but I also blamed Josef for his stubbornness about turning Simone in the first place. Yeah, my bitterness went back a ways, to the point when he'd bummed some of Mick's precious cure to avoid giving Simone what she'd wanted most in the world—a lifetime with Josef Kostan, billionaire vampire extraordinaire. I gave an unfeminine snort of derision.

Simone looked up at me, her eye makeup in streaks now down her face, still beautiful, but even more terrified than I was. She'd tried to reason with the police, using all her lawyerly skills of persuasion, promising them anything they'd wanted once we were freed, begging them for a doctor to see to Josef. They wouldn't give her access to a phone so she could call the American consulate, and, of course, the bar security had already taken her cell phone and wallet, so she didn't have a way to bribe them. We were stuck in this holding pen like pigs awaiting slaughter, alongside prostitutes, druggies, and drunken American college students. God knows we couldn't depend on Josef right now.

"You think Mick will find a way to get us out of here," she whispered, stroking Josef's matted and bloodied hair.

I smiled as brightly as I could, hoping to reassure her—and myself—that everything would be just fine.

"Of course, he will. Mick won't let us down. He'd kill all of them if he thought he could get away with it. We've only been in here an hour; try not to worry."

She nodded, and her attention went back to Josef, who was awake again. I looked away as she leaned down and kissed him tenderly. I knew in the back of my mind that I was being unfair in blaming him, but the anger had built up in me so much that I had to focus all of it on someone, and Josef seemed the most likely candidate at the time. Sure, I'd gotten myself--and Simone, for that matter--into some deep trouble in the past, but we were totally blameless this time.

We'd just been minding our own business in the bar, had used the bathroom and come out, only to be accosted by security on some bogus charge we'd been doing drugs. This must be a scam they'd used frequently, and I was certain they just would have taken our stuff and let us go, had Josef not attempted to play hero. He had gotten one good punch into the guy's gut, I'll give him that, but the wheelchair had prevented him from doing much damage to the guards. No, all the damage was reserved for himself, when one punch to the face had knocked him and the wheelchair off the boardwalk, and landed us in this hell hole. Had he been a vampire, he'd have made quick work of the guards, and we'd have been able to hightail it out of there, none the worse for wear.

That thought reverberated in my mind. I wanted Josef to be a vampire. Moreover, I was grateful that Mick was a vampire, knowing that if the proper channels wouldn't work, he'd snap the necks of anyone standing in his way. _Oh my God. I want Mick to be a vampire._ At that moment, I swore to myself that I would never pressure him to use the cure again. I glanced back at Josef. As a human, Mick might have been a little tougher than Josef. Okay , _a lot_ tougher, but the point is he would have had all the human limitations as Josef, and we'd all be stuck in a Mexican prison for the rest of our lives. I couldn't wait to tell him my new epiphany, how I finally understood his reluctance to use the cure, no matter how much he wanted the benefits that came with being human.

Then, like a knight in shining armor, Mick appeared with a guard, and the bars of our cell were opened. I rushed into his waiting arms, holding him as tightly as I could.

"Oh, Mick. Thank God." He kissed the top of my head gently, then pulled back to look at me, wiping at the tears I hadn't even known I'd shed.

"Are you okay?" he asked me in that rich voice I loved so much.

"Yeah, now that you're here." I wanted to hug him again, but he was disentangling my arms so he could go help Simone get Josef to his feet. We tried to ignore the catcalls the prostitutes directed at Mick, and the cussing and begging coming from the other prisoners toward the guard, as we walked out of the building as quickly as we could.

Out in the street, a cab waited for us, and Mick helped us in to the back seat. I glanced in vain at the wrist that once held my diamond watch, lost forever in the Mexican penal system, and asked Mick the time. It seemed like we'd been off the ship for days, but Mick confirmed it had only been hours. It was nine o'clock. We could still make it back to the ship before it sailed. I laughed in relief, reaching to the front passenger seat where Mick sat next to the driver. He took my hand and squeezed it, and the light of his smile was visible even in the dankness of the dirty taxi.

MICK

While Beth showered in our cabin back on the ship, I made my way to the onboard medical center. Josef lay in a hospital bed, his sunburned face bright against the bleached pillowcase. His arm had been re-set and encased in a cast—I couldn't bear to relive in my mind the sounds of his agonized screams—and his nose was black and blue, his left eye swollen shut, a lovely shade of purple. Simone, still bedraggled from her traumatic experience, sat at his bedside, holding his good hand in her own.

"How's the patient?" I asked as cheerfully as I could manage.

"Does the term Mack Truck mean anything to you?" asked the patient in question. "Hey, you should see the other guy."

I laughed. "I _did_ see the other guy. You, my friend, got the worst end by far, I'm afraid." I looked at Simone.

"I'm here now. Why don't you go back to your cabin and clean up? I know that's the first thing Beth wanted to do. I'm sure you'd feel better."

"I don't want to leave him," she said, her eyes fastened on Josef's.

"Go," Josef encouraged her. "I'm fine. I got my bodyguard here to protect me now. Besides, you look like hell." That's my buddy, always knowing just the right thing to say. But Simone didn't take offense; she was used to his blunt ways.

"Look who's talking, asshole," she said affectionately. She leaned over and kissed the jerk, then turned to me and planted one on my own surprised mouth. Her hand caressed my cheek, and she looked tearfully into my eyes.

"Thanks, Mick. For everything. I'm so grateful you were there."

"Yeah. Me too." She smiled at us both and left the room. I took her place in the vacated chair.

"How much did it cost me to get us out of there," asked Josef morosely.

"Twenty-five thousand," I said, watching him wince. I think the loss of money hurt him more than his broken arm.

"I wonder if I can write that off," he said, only half-kidding. He suddenly turned completely serious. "Thanks, man. You are so far ahead of me on the balance sheet, I doubt I'll ever be able to repay you."

"Oh, I'm not even close to being done yet," I said, my frustration overwhelming me. "The minute we touch American soil, I'm turning your ass back. I don't think I can take any more of Human Josef. This was probably the worst idea you've ever had, and if I could kick my own ass for letting you talk me into it, I would."

"What about our one-month deal?" Josef pointed out.

"You've gotta be shittin' me. No way can I survive three more weeks of this. If I could do it right now, I would, believe me."

"No."

"I guess I could wait until late tonight, sneak in here and—"

"I said no, Mick."

"Huh?" was my shocked reply. "You don't want me to turn you?" I lowered my voice as a nurse walked by to see to a neighboring patient.

"No. You were right. I need to see this through. I said before you gave me the cure that I needed to prove something to myself. At the time, I was just bullshitting you to get you to give it to me, but I realized while lying in that shithole that it was true."

I tried to wrap my brain around what he was telling me, but all my synapses obviously weren't firing correctly. "Let me get this straight—after all you've been through. Correction—after all you've put _us_ through—you want to continue this nightmare for God knows how much longer just so you can prove something to yourself. You need to see a shrink, man. Or maybe I do--"

He was actually laughing at my disbelief. "I know it sounds crazy, but listen to me, Mick. I was turned into a vampire when I was twenty-five, not old enough yet to even know who I was as a human. This experience, as painful as it's been, has been a real wake-up call for me. Underneath that vampire persona I've built for myself, I'm a weak little man. I've needed something like this to toughen me up."

"Toughen you up? Josef, you are the coldest, toughest bastard I know. You think this foray into humanity, where you've experienced nothing but pain and suffering, is going to make you a stronger vampire? I'm not getting the connection here. I want you back, Josef—the _real _Josef. I needed you in that bar. This human weakness of yours could have cost me all of the people I love. I've had enough of this misguided experiment."

"I thought you, of all people, would understand," he was saying, still smiling comically beneath the rainbow of colors that was his face. "I've scared you, and I'm sorry about that. I've caused a lot of trouble—mainly to myself, I might add. And I'm not saying I want to _stay_ human. Believe me, I'm so tempted to let you turn me, I can even feel it in my numb fingers. All I'm saying is if I throw in the towel now, I'll have lost an opportunity to gain a better understanding of myself. I know it all sounds new-agey and weird, but if I don't see this through, I'll always have this niggling doubt about myself that I'd never had before as a vampire. I'll always wonder whether I could have hacked it."

I let his words sink in. I had never come to terms myself with being a vampire. I still thought of myself as a human thrust unwillingly inside a monster's body. It was apparently the exact reverse for Josef. He'd never come to terms with his human self, had dived right in to being a powerful vampire, loving every minute of it. And watching Josef undergo his less than successful human transformation, it had driven home a lesson I was just now realizing: _being a vampire wasn't all that bad_. While I'd never get over what I'd be missing as a human, namely, a normal life with Beth, I could finally accept the merit in who I was as a vampire. The strength. The fearlessness. Yes, and even the immortality. There had to be a compromise out there somewhere. Yeah, this would require some more thought…

"Hey, Mick. Wake up! Ailing patient here," Josef was saying. I guess I'd been lost in thought too long to be polite.

"Oh. Sorry. I think I do understand what you're saying, Josef. Whatever you want, I'm here for you, man."

He smiled. "I knew you'd see it my way. And I'll promise to be more careful. It's just that I've had a string of bad luck—"

A sharp laugh escaped me. "Bad luck? Jeez, Josef, you're a walking disaster. When we get home, I'm putting you in a Kevlar suit. I'm hiring an army of bodyguards, and every room in your house is going to be padded."

"The only body I want guarding mine is Simone's, Mick. One thing this experience has taught me, is what an extraordinary woman she is. I mean, I knew it before, but no ordinary woman would have stood by her man through all the ups and downs—" he laughed at his inadvertent reference to his recent sexual problems—" I've put her through. And right before you came in here, I told her I love her, Mick. Now, could Vampire Josef have done that?"

This was by far the biggest shocker of them all. "No, Josef. You've truly surprised me now."

"Mick, I've never told any woman that. Even Sarah. I mean, I did love her, and I think she knew that, but I never was able to spit out those three little words. What I feel for Simone—well, let's just say I finally get those moon eyes you always put on when you look at Beth."

I looked closely at Josef's face. "Yeah, that one eye of yours seems definitely moony when you say her name. Just don't go writing poetry now, or I'll bite you on the spot."

"Hey, I'll have you know I got a few tips from Willie Shakespeare—" I'd heard some name-dropping from Josef before, but this one seemed truly unbelievable.

"Shakespeare gave you writing tips?"

"What, you don't believe me? Look, Willie and I had this deal. He would teach me how to write a sonnet guaranteed to get a particular actress in my bed, and I agreed to let him model one of his characters after me."

I sat there with a deadpan expression, allowing him his little flight of fancy.

"Oh, come on, Mick. I can't believe you can't guess. Why, it's Mercutio, of course." I maintained my blank expression, knowing full well who he was talking about.

"You had to have read that play. It's only his most famous—"

"You mean Romeo's smartass best friend in _Romeo and Juliet?_ I guess I can see the similarities, but if my memory of Freshman English serves, Shakespeare killed Mercutio off in Act III."

Josef hesitated, averting his eye a little. "We had a bit of a falling out." He suddenly brightened. "But hey, he did get in some of my best lines: 'The bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the _prick _of noon.' I said that," he finished smugly.

"Sure you did, Josef."

He looked supremely offended.

"Zounds! You wound me, Mick, you wound me. 'Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a _grave_ man!'" He dramatically placed his uninjured hand over his heart, closing his good eye and "dying" convincingly. That was my cue: I got up to leave.

"Mick—" he opened his eye again mischievously.

"Yeah, yeah. 'A plague on both my houses,' I got it. Night, Josef."

When I looked back over my shoulder his eye was closed again. No doubt he was attempting to perfect his famous death scene. As beaten up as he was, it really was quite convincing.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10: Conclusion

A/N: So sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been totally swamped this past week. So here it is at last—the conclusion, twice as long for double the enjoyment. Thanks to all who have read and posted. I've enjoyed writing for "Moonlight" again. Please let me know what you think!

Chapter 10

BETH

When the ship had docked back in Long Beach, Josef's limo was there to meet us. The four of us climbed in, Josef no longer in a wheelchair, but still weak from the broken arm and beating he took back in Mexico. His face was a little less puffy, but the white of one eye was blood red and his bruises were multicolored and no doubt painful. I was civil to him, but I avoided his eyes and snuggled into Mick's side for the trip back to LA. I was still having trouble getting over my brief stint in jail because of him.

Simone and Josef sat opposite us on the soft leather seats, Simone mothering him unmercifully, while Mick and Josef fell into their usual light banter. I'm sure my silence was noticeable to everyone, but no one pressed me on it. I never was very good at hiding my feelings.

"Ya know, Mick," Josef was saying, "I learned something on this trip."

"Just one thing?" sniped Mick good-naturedly, helping himself to the blood Josef still kept in the limo's small fridge.

"I think I want to buy a cruise ship."

"All you went through, and that's all you learned? You're seriously warped, Josef."

"No--no. Listen. It could be a _vamp_ cruise line. The cabins would be equipped with freezers, the outside decks would be totally shaded, the pools kept cold. All-inclusive blood and booze. Freshies optional. Vampires would come from far and wide to ride my boat."

"Uh, huh," replied Mick skeptically. Simone and I just looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

"What would you name it?"Simone asked indulgently.

"Hmmm….that will require some thought. _Kostan Cruises? _ No, too boring. _Artery of the Seas? Fangri-la?_ No, I got it—_The Love Bite. _Any ideas, Beth?" He asked, noting my cool expression. He was trying to stir things up, as usual.

"How about_ Titanic, _or _Lusitania? _ No, those names are already taken. How about, _Mexican Nightmare?"_ I suggested sarcastically.

"Beth—" Mick and Simone chastised at once.

"No, let her talk," Josef stopped them. His expression was serious, but his eyes twinkled obnoxiously. "Let's clear the air. I know she's pissed with me. Wouldn't want that to build up. That pretty blonde head of hers might explode."

There was a silent beat as everyone waited for my reaction. "Josef, you are a lame excuse for a human being."—I heard Simone's offended gasp—"I'm sorry, Simone, but you know I'm right. You totally wasted some of Mick's precious cure on this idiotic attempt to be something you're not. You are a vampire, Josef. You've been one for what—four-hundred years? And maybe this is none of my business, but seeing that you landed us in a Mexican jail, I think I have a right to interfere just this once." I was looking straight at Josef, avoiding Mick and Simone's eyes, but I could hear Mick's little snort of laughter at that last statement.

"Anyway," I continued, "If you had just done what Simone asked and turned her into a vampire a long time ago, this never would have happened. And now, once we get home, and Mick turns you back—"

"Okay, let me correct you on a few points, Beth," interrupted Josef, all seriousness now. "First, let me say that I'm really sorry about the bar and jail thing. It was stupid for me to attack security guards from a wheelchair in a foreign country, but I think I paid for that, don't you?" At my faint blush, he continued.

"And secondly, I disagree that this experiment was a waste. I'm trying to see what it's like to be human again, so that maybe that will make me a better vampire. Sounds crazy, I know, but like I told Mick, now that I've embarked on this human journey, I plan to see it through. I think I'd regret it if I didn't. Mick's not gonna re-turn me."

Simone and I were both in shock at this little tidbit. I was the one who could finally speak. "So you're telling me that we have God-knows-how-long to suffer through the fallout of Human Josef? I don't think any of us can survive it."

He laughed. "Yeah, least of all, me. Look, what it all boils down to is I did this for Simone, and now I'm also doing it for me. I'll understand if you and Mick want to stay away from me a few months till this wears off, but I hope it hasn't come to that. I'm going to be more careful from now on. I hope that Simone will tough it out with me, though." He turned to look at her, his pathetically damaged face as irresistible as an injured, wet puppy. I guess that's when I melted. Or maybe it was when Simone gazed at his current ugliness with unconditional love, leaning into him to carefully kiss his sunburned cheek.

"And as for turning Simone—well, that definitely _is_ none of your business—with all due respect, of course." His smile belied his blunt words, and I saw in his eyes the old Josef, the vampire that I had come to love like a brother.

I sighed in defeat. "Okay, I guess I should put into practice that old expression my grandma used to tell me: 'To err is human, to forgive--'"

"Divine," Josef finished for me. He reached out for my hand, and I gave it to him, still a little amazed at the warmth of it. We both smiled, fully understanding one another, and all was forgiven. Mick planted a kiss on my temple.

I know, I know. I'm a sucker for happy endings. I just hoped there was one in store for Mick and me.

MICK

Josef's limo dropped Beth and I off at my place; I would take her home later. She had whispered to me in the car that she needed to talk to me about something. I had a feeling I knew what. This catastrophe with Josef had to have affected her feelings about the cure and how I was going to use it. Actually, it had affected me too. I'd given it some thought, and I hoped my solution would meet with her approval. With Beth, I never knew what was going on in that complex mind of hers.

I set down our luggage inside my door and followed her to the couch. Her normally expressive face was a complete blank to me, but she sat on the couch in her customary position—legs beneath her, throw pillow in her lap—I felt happy because it never got old seeing her so comfortable in my apartment. I offered to get her a drink, but she declined, so I sat down next to her, automatically taking her hand.

"What's up, Beth?"

"That bombshell Josef dropped in the limo—why didn't you tell me you weren't going to turn him?"

So that was what was bothering her. "It wasn't my announcement to make. He likely wanted to tell Simone in his own way. I know how you girls talk." I smiled to ease the jibe, although it was undeniably true.

"If you'd told me it was a secret, I could have kept it, you know. I've kept _your_ secret for a year."

"Must be some kind of record for you," I teased. She looked like she was about to get mad, but I diffused it by leaning in for a kiss. Yeah, I have my ways of manipulation, I'm not gonna lie. When she was suitably temperate again, I waited to hear what else was on her mind.

"Mick, about the cure…did the trip bring you to any conclusions?"

I sighed and looked away. Here it goes. "Yeah. I've been thinking about it a lot. And I want to ask you something, but I don't want to be too presumptuous…"

"You know you can ask me anything," she prompted. I looked into her eyes, wide and blue, not expecting in the least what I was about to ask her.

"When do you plan on having a baby?" To say she was taken aback was an understatement. She looked down. She looked away. She looked back at me, answering my question with one of her own.

"Why do you ask?"

Okay, ball in my court. "I don't need a specific date and time or anything. I just want to know your future plans. Generally speaking. I mean, I'm sure you want a family—"

"Yes." She hesitated a moment. "And I want one with you. If that's even possible."

"I don't know, Beth. I mean, if I were to remain a vampire, it would be impossible for you to have a biological child with me. But if I took the cure…Well, the truth is, I have no idea if I could father a child that way."

"Three years."

"Huh?"

"I want a baby in about three years. Before I'm thirty. With you. Does this answer your question?"

"Yes," I told her, feeling embarrassed. "Beth, if you could wait three years, I could be a vampire to protect you, then use the cure and try to—you know, we could try to—" _I'm begging you, please save me,_ I was thinking. She laughed at my awkwardness. Sometimes I still felt hopelessly trapped in the 1950's.

"Yes, Mick. I can wait." She looked down at our entwined hands, then met my eyes again. "Believe me, a week ago, I wanted you to use the cure right away so we could hurry and get on with our lives—our _human_ lives. But seeing how hard it's been for Josef, how hard it's been for the rest of us to feel like we're nothing more than his glorified babysitters—I came to a realization." She was looking at me intently now. She took a deep breath. "I want you to—to _stay_ a vampire. You make me feel safe, and I don't want to lose that. I'm being selfish, I know, because ever since you were turned, you've hated what you are. You are a man and you are a vampire, completely intertwined now. I don't want you to be like Josef, and totally forget what it was like to be human, but I want you to know that I'd miss the vampire part of you, because it _is _you, Mick." Her delicate human hands came up to press against my cool, vampire cheeks. "I love you, fangs and all."

I continued looking into her eyes, trying to absorb the unbelievable things she was saying to me.

"But you just said you wanted to have a child with me," I countered. "Have you suddenly changed your mind?"

She shook her head. "No. I want that experience. I want it all, Mick. In three years, we can try. Maybe you could go on the cure on and off throughout his life. We would tell him what you are, and he could decide what he wants to do with his own life. And maybe then…you could turn me too." She said the last so softly, that had I not had super hearing, I might not have caught it.

"No, Beth. You can't mean that." She obviously hadn't thought this through. I didn't want to contemplate feeling her beautiful warmth turn cold, watch her give up on food and sunlight, have her lose her friends by moving or by outliving them. This couldn't be what she really wanted. Could it?

"I'm not absolutely sure, Mick. But I can see the possibilities now. When we were in that Mexican jail, I couldn't help but think that if I were a vampire, no cell could have held me. I could use my incredible vampire powers to escape. You wouldn't have to worry about me so much. You wouldn't have need of protecting me."

While I could see the merit in this, I still didn't think it was worth losing her humanity. I had a sudden vision of how things might be now. She was going to start pressuring me to turn her. Could our relationship survive that, especially if I dug in my heels and refused her?

"But don't worry; I'm not going to pressure you." Clearly she could read minds now. "I still want a baby, and that's not possible with both of us vampires. So, I'm willing to table this for now, if you are. Three years is a long time." _To a human maybe, but not to me._ Those years would pass before I knew it, and we'd be right back here. But on this subject I was a coward, and I could certainly stand some distance from the decision for a while.

"Okay," I told her, reaching over to brush a stray lock of soft hair from her eyes. "Three years." No matter what drama or trauma we were going through, I was ever conscious of her beauty, of how it affected me. Our eyes held, hers darkening with sudden desire. I'm sure I must have been looking at her with similar feeling. I tossed the pillow away and pulled her onto my lap so that she was straddling me. Our mouths met, and I had the crazy, familiar feeling that I was drowning. Drowning in her passion, in her warmth, in the love that threatened to overwhelm us both.

Clothes joined the pillow on the floor, and she resumed her position on my lap, both of us naked now. I joined with her in one thrust, and we moved together in perfect synchronicity while I reached down between her legs, touching her in the way I knew would have her screaming my name in my ear. She shuddered and trembled around me as she came, and I felt my face turning. Next thing I knew, my fangs were clamped onto her neck, and I drank the ambrosia that was Beth, feeling my own climax hit all at once, then wash over me in wave after wave. She collapsed upon me when I withdrew my mouth, and I licked her wounds gently to seal them.

"Were you this good in bed when you were human?" she asked me breathlessly. Now how does a guy answer that?

"Well, I would hope so," I laughed quietly, rubbing her smooth lower back in lazy circles. "I never got any complaints, anyway."

She joined my laughter, her body shaking sexily with it. "I highly doubt there was any biting involved back then—well, at least not any bloodsucking anyway. And we weren't together when you were human for a week, so I'll just have to take your word for it." Her unintentionally sensual movements were doing wonderful things to where our bodies were still connected. I already wanted her again.

"One thing I do know is better," I said as a gasp of realization escaped her. I had her on her back, moving in and out of her warmth again in seconds flat. "Vampire stamina is a beautiful thing."

Beth's only reply was a moan of satisfaction. I smiled. Sometimes it was damn good to be a vampire.

_Three months later…_

I was sitting in my office, finishing the paperwork on a case I'd just closed, when I sensed the approach of a vampire. The scent was familiar, and one I hadn't smelled in awhile. I glanced at the security monitor by the door, and noted with relief the face of my long-time friend as he used his own remote key to come in unannounced. Not that he had to, what with his signature smell of old vampire, French cologne, and cigars making him immediately identifiable to me.

He came in and sat in the chair across from my desk. "A funny thing happened to me on the way to the bathroom this morning…" Josef began conversationally.

My overwhelming happiness at his return to "normal" nearly prevented me from keeping a straight face.

"Do tell, my friend."

"As I was saying, I was naked and in great need of the facilities—"  
"Too much information," I injected. He ignored me, as usual.

"And, reaching down for my morning ball scratch, I noted they were once again made of solid steel."

I raised one eyebrow in disbelief. "Oh, really? And have you ever known your testicles to be in this condition?"

"Actually," he confided, "I've had difficulty even finding them lately. But suddenly, they were there again, big as a bull's and twice as powerful."

"I'm so happy for you," I said, the smiles we were both holding back finally breaking through. We looked at each other in mutual relief.

And so ended three and months of gross human error. Oh, it had been a little less eventful than the first week, except for when he sliced off the tip of his finger when he attempted to cook dinner for Simone. Or the time he was knocked unconscious by a basketball in the ill-advised pick-up game with three vampires and his arm still in a cast. Other than that, he seemed to have survived the experience relatively unscathed.

"So, what? You going to Disneyland now?"

"Haven't I already been there the last three months? No, Mick, I can finally go back to work. My board members had threatened mutiny, and business has really suffered in my absence. And, as for my love life…well, let's just say that I made it up to Simone this morning in a big way. Several times."

"Good for you, Josef. I mean it, man."

"Yeah. And next time I even look like I'm going to do something stupid, you have my permission to stake me till the impulse passes."

"Can I get that in writing?"

"Of course not. And another thing—I've agreed to turn Simone." I felt my face go blank at this announcement.

"Should I get that stake now?" I asked hopefully.

"I really don't think this qualifies. It's what's best for us both now, Mick."

"Is this going to be a ceremonial occasion?" Sometimes a vamp turning was made into a big deal, with witnesses and a tasteful party.

He shook his head. "No, a private thing—not even inviting a few close friends. We might try that later, though," he grinned suggestively. He knew orgies were not my thing. Except for that one time in Milan in the '70's…

"Well, I hope it goes well. You scared?" Of course we were both thinking of Sarah.

"To death—so to speak," he replied honestly. "But we've come to the point where either this is going to happen, or she's going to leave me. And I don't think I could go on without her, Mick. When I was human, she stood by me, despite the hell I put her through. She's the one for me. And, since Beth is already taken…"

"That she is, Josef, and often." It felt so good to have him taunting me again. He laughed.

"My God, I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. I can bite people now, then turn right around and kick their asses if I want to. It's damn good to be a vampire, I have to tell you."

I smiled inwardly, remembering how I'd had similar thoughts recently. "I couldn't agree with you more, Josef," I told him, setting out the scotch and two glasses. We had a lot to celebrate.

THE END

A/N: For my next trick, I've challenged myself to write something totally different and daring—a story told completely from Josef's point of view. Mick, Beth, and Simone will play integral parts, or else, what fun would that be? Please be on the lookout for "My Fair Vampire," coming soon to a "Moonlight" fanfiction site near you.


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